happen
English
/ˈhæpən/
verb
Definitions
- (intransitive) To occur or take place.
- (transitive) To happen to; to befall.
- (intransitive) To do or occur by chance or unexpectedly.
- (followed by) To encounter by chance.
Etymology
Inherited from Middle English happenen, happen (happen, come to pass) inherited from Old English hæppan (slip, move accidentally) derived from Old Norse *happa derived from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (fit in, be fitting) affix from English hap (luck, chance, occurrence, byfall, fortune, event, a chance, coincidence).
Origin
English
hap
Gloss
luck, chance, occurrence, byfall, fortune, event, a chance, coincidence
Timeline
Distribution of cognates by language
Geogrpahic distribution of cognates
Cognates and derived terms
- behap English
- behappen English
- chance English
- hap English
- hapful English
- haphazard English
- hapless English
- haply English
- happenable English
- happenchance English
- happener English
- happenest English
- happeneth English
- happening English
- happy English
- mishap English
- mishappen English
- nonhappening English
- perhaps English
- rehappen English
- unhappen English
- *kob- Proto-Indo-European
- *hampijaną Proto-Germanic
- hæppan Old English
- *happenynge Middle English
- behappenen Middle English
- hap Middle English
- happen Middle English
- happenen Middle English
- mishapnen Middle English
- *happa Old Norse
- *happa, *heppa Old Norse