Dictionary

happen en · ADV

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhæpən/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kob-der. Proto-Germanic *hampą Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *happader.? ▲ Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *heppader.? Old English hæppander.? Middle English happen Proto-Indo-European *-o- Proto-Indo-European *-nom Proto-Indo-European *-onom Proto-Germanic *-aną Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Old English -an Middle English -en Middle English happenen English happen From Middle English happenen, hapnen, augmented from Middle English happen (“to come to pass, happen”), perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”). Equivalent to hap (“a chance, occurrence, byfall”) + -en (verbal suffix).

Meanings

1. (dialectal, not-comparable, obsolete) maybe, perhaps.
   • Yeah, well happen if he'd gone quietly, she wouldn't have needed to show him who's in charge. 2016, Sally Wainwright, Happy Valley, spoken by Catherine Cawood (Sarah Lancashire), Manchester: Red Production Company; distributed by BBC Studios, published 2016:

happen en · VERB

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /ˈhæpən/

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *kob-der. Proto-Germanic *hampą Proto-Indo-European *-yéti Proto-Germanic *-janą Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *happader.? ▲ Proto-Germanic *hampijanąder. Old Norse *heppader.? Old English hæppander.? Middle English happen Proto-Indo-European *-o- Proto-Indo-European *-nom Proto-Indo-European *-onom Proto-Germanic *-aną Proto-Indo-European *-yeti Proto-Indo-European *-éyeti Proto-Germanic *-janą Old English -an Middle English -en Middle English happenen English happen From Middle English happenen, hapnen, augmented from Middle English happen (“to come to pass, happen”), perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”). Equivalent to hap (“a chance, occurrence, byfall”) + -en (verbal suffix).

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To occur or take place.
   • Let me tell you how it happened.
   • Seeing the British establishment struggle with the financial sector is like watching an alcoholic who still resists the idea that something drastic needs to happen for him to turn his life around. 2013 June 28, Joris Luyendijk, “Our banks are out of control”, in The Guardian Weekly, volume 189, number 3, page 21:
2. (archaic, transitive) To happen to; to befall.
   • 'By my soul! I believe something bad has happened me,' he muttered, and popped up his window, and looked out, half dreaming over the church-yard on the park beyond […] 1863, Sheridan Le Fanu, The House by the Churchyard:
3. (impersonal, intransitive, with-infinitive) To do or occur by chance or unexpectedly.
   • Take an umbrella in case it happens to rain.
   • Do you happen to have an umbrella?
   • It happened that a police car was passing my house just at that moment.
   • If you should (happen to) need any help, I'll be there.
4. (followed by on or upon) To encounter by chance.
   • Unexpectedly, in a nook close by the farmhouse, he happened upon a spot where the vintage had actually commenced. 1860, Nathaniel Hawthorne, chapter 30, in The Marble Faun:
5. (informal) To become popular or trendy.

Forms

Deriveds

pics or it didn't happen · it so happens · rehappen · worse things happen at sea · pictures or it didn't happen · accident waiting to happen · happen along · accidents will happen · happenable · happen by · couldn't happen to a nicer · happener · mappen · if it happens, it happens · make fetch happen · behappen · happen on · disaster waiting to happen · as it happens · happenchance · happen upon · these things happen · happeningly · happen across · shit happens · accidents will happen in the best regulated families · make happen · what's happening · unhappen · or it didn't happen · waiting to happen · mishappen

Hypernyms

exist

Hyponyms

fare · coincide · ensue

Relateds

happenstance · happening · come into being

Synonyms

hold · take place · occur · evene · bechance · hap · chance · belimp · betide · befall · go on · come to pass · happen · pass · betime · beworth · behap · eventuate · come to pass · transpire · crop up · come about · tide

Translations (251)

otk 𐰉𐰆𐰞 (to occur) · hu megesik (to occur) · uz boʻlmoq (to occur) · gl suceder (to occur) · be адбыва́цца (to occur) · ary وقع (to occur) · xdq арга́ра (to occur) · sh desiti se (to occur) · sk stať sa (to occur) · ko 발생하다 (to occur) · sdn avviné (to occur) · pl wydarzyć się (to occur) · th เกิด (to occur) · vi xảy đến (to occur) · ru происходи́ть (to occur) · sga ad·cumaing (to occur) · fi käydä (to occur) · wa sorvini (to occur) · gd turchair (to occur) · tr gerçekleşmek (to occur) · ajp صار (to occur) · bn ঘটা (to occur) · ur بیتنا (to occur) · eu bururatu (to occur) · et toimuma (to occur) · fr arriver (to occur) · km កើតឡើង (to occur) · de passieren (to occur) · acw صار (to occur) · uk става́тися (to occur) · as ঘটা (to occur) · uk трапля́тися (to occur) · lt atsitikti (to occur) · sh догодити се (to occur) · ru состоя́ться (to occur) · ta நட (to occur) · pcm happun (to occur) · rgn cadér (to occur) · ca ocórrer (to occur) · sv förekomma (to occur) · ba булыу (to occur) · gl avir (to occur) · lv notikt (to occur) · da ske (to occur) · ka მოხდომა (to occur) · tg иттифоқ афтодан (to occur) · la evenio (to occur) · wa ariver (to occur) · fa روی دادن (to occur) · da hænde (to occur) · pl trafić się (to occur) · ru произойти́ (to occur) · es acontecer (to occur) · izh tapahtua (to occur) · pl wydarzać się (to occur) · la intercido (to occur) · uk зроби́тися (to occur) · sc sutzèdere (to occur) · lo ບັງເກີດ (to occur) · af aangaan (to occur) · cmn 發生 /发生 (to occur) · ar جَرَى (to occur) · arc הוי (to occur) · la accidō (to occur) · it succedere (to occur) · ar وَقَعَ (to occur) · be здара́цца (to occur) · yue 發生 /发生 (to occur) · sv inträffa (to occur) · hy պատահել (to occur) · sv äga rum (to occur) · lad afitar (to occur) · kk болу (to occur) · fi sattua (to occur) · sga for·cumaing (to occur) · ca passar (to occur) · sga do·ecmaing (to occur) · rsk случиц (to occur) · qu tukuy (to occur) · swb uhidjiri (to occur) · mn тохиолдох (to occur) · id terjadi (to occur) · io eventar (to occur) · gsw passiere (to occur) · ru случа́ться (to occur) · tl mangyari (to occur) · vo jenön (to occur) · gd tàrlaidh (to occur) · tr oluşmak (to occur) · is verða (to occur) · hu megtörténik (to occur) · he הִתְרַחֵשׁ (to occur) · gl ocorrer (to occur) · bg ста́вам (to occur) · fi sattua (to occur by chance, unexpectedly) · sh десити се (to occur) · tr vaki olmak (to occur) · sk udiať sa (to occur) · pl stać się (to occur) · fa واقع شدن (to occur) · it accadere (to occur) · ro întâmpla (to occur) · pl dziać się (to occur) · cs dějít se (to occur) · sh dogoditi se (to occur) · uk відбува́тися (to occur) · az olmaq (to occur) · lo ເກີດ (to occur) · da indtræffe (to occur) · de vorfallen (to occur) · my ဖြစ် (to occur) · lt įvykti (to occur) · de stattfinden (to occur) · pl zdarzać się (to occur) · pt acontecer (to occur) · sdc accadí (to occur) · gd tachair (to occur) · de sich ereignen (to occur) · el τυγχάνω (to occur) · uk ста́тися (to occur) · ta ஆகு (to occur) · grc συμφέρω (to occur) · haw loʻohia (to occur) · ko 일어나다 (to occur) · sv hända (to occur) · uk тра́питися (to occur) · gl callar (to occur) · vi xảy ra (to occur) · fa پیشامد کردن (to occur) · az vaqe olmaq (to occur) · lo ເປັນ (to occur) · cy digwydd (to occur) · el λαχαίνω (to occur) · uz yuz bermoq (to occur) · tg воқеъ шудан (to occur) · no inntreffe (to occur) · fa اتفاق افتادن (to occur) · es suceder (to occur) · rsk случовац (to occur) · ar حَصَلَ (to occur) · ky болуу (to occur) · tr vuku bulmak (to occur) · jam apm (to occur) · is vilja til (to occur) · cs stát se (to occur) · fr advenir (to occur) · ca succeir (to occur) · hi बीतना (to occur) · es acaecer (to occur) · gl pasar (to occur) · bg слу́чвам се (to occur) · el τυχαίνω (to occur) · lt vykti (to occur) · sw kutukia (to occur) · ro petrece (to occur) · uk чини́тися (to occur) · pl zdarzyć się (to occur) · gl acaescer (to occur) · pt suceder (to occur) · acw حصل (to occur) · fo henda (to occur) · ang ġebyrian (to occur) · fr se passer (to occur) · be зда́рыцца (to occur) · la contingo (to occur) · tr yer bulmak (to occur) · la fiō (to occur) · da forefalde (to occur) · kix thǖvâu (to occur) · el διαδραματίζομαι (to occur) · chr ᏂᎦᎵᏍᏗᎭ (to occur) · sl zgodíti se (to occur) · uk учини́тися (to occur) · no hende (to occur) · uk зчини́тися (to occur) · mi ahatia (to occur) · be тра́піцца (to occur) · yi געשען (to occur) · wa si passer (to occur) · de geschehen (to occur) · cs dít se (to occur) · rsk збувац (to occur) · arz حصل (to occur) · ur ہونا (to occur) · it occorrere (to occur) · eo okazi (to occur) · rsk збуц (to occur) · tr olmak (to occur) · eu gertatu (to occur) · ang ġelimpan (to occur) · km កើត (to occur) · ang ġetīmian (to occur) · ru случи́ться (to occur) · hu történik (to occur) · be адбы́цца (to occur) · sw kutokea (to occur) · nl gebeuren (to occur) · luy esihole (to occur) · sq ndodh (to occur) · grc τυγχάνω (to occur) · uk роби́тися (to occur) · tg рӯй додан (to occur) · et juhtuma (to occur) · tr tahakkuk etmek (to occur) · rsk трафиц (to occur) · mk се случи (to occur) · uk відбу́тися (to occur) · fr se produire (to occur) · zdj uhundra (to occur) · pl trafiać się (to occur) · mn болох (to occur) · ga tarlaigh (to occur) · rsk ставац (to occur) · pl przypadkiem (to occur by chance, unexpectedly) · be трапля́цца (to occur) · bo བྱུང (to occur) · el γίνομαι (to occur) · gl acontecer (to occur) · tr meydana gelmek (to occur) · ja 起る (to occur) · sc sutzediri (to occur) · el σημειώνομαι (to occur) · is henda (to occur) · rsk трафяц (to occur) · he קָרָה (to occur) · ug يۈز بەرمەك (to occur) · fo gerast (to occur) · sei aaha (to occur) · la cado (to occur) · tk bolmak (to occur) · pt ocorrer (to occur) · tr teşekkül etmek (to occur) · is gerast (to occur) · gl adergar (to occur) · fi tapahtua (to occur) · la eo (to occur) · el συμβαίνω (to occur) · no skje (to occur) · sc accadésseri (to occur) · nb foregå (to occur) · ar حَدَثَ (to occur) · uz voqe boʻlmoq (to occur) · rsk стац (to occur) · ja 起こる (to occur) · he הָלַךְ (to occur) · mk се случува (to occur) · ang weorþan (to occur) · haw hana (to occur) · gun iko (to occur) · sv ske (to occur) · is bera við (to occur)