Definitions for happen
ˈhæp ənhap·pen

Princeton's WordNet(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take placeverb

   come to pass

   "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important"

2. happen, befall, bechanceverb

   happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance

   "It happens that today is my birthday"; "These things befell" (Santayana)

3. happenverb

   chance to be or do something, without intention or causation

   "I happen to have just what you need!"

4. happen, materialize, materialiseverb

   come into being; become reality

   "Her dream really materialized"

5. find, happen, chance, bump, encounterverb

   come upon, as if by accident; meet with

   "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day"

Wiktionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. happenverb

   To occur or take place.

   Let me tell you how it happened.

2. happenverb

   To occur unexpectedly, by chance or with a low probability.

   Take an umbrella in case it happens to rain.

3. happenverb

   To encounter by chance.

4. happenadverb

   maybe, perhaps.

5. Etymology: From happenen

Samuel Johnson's Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. To Happenverb

   Etymology: from hap.

   1. To fall out; to chance; to come to pass.

   Bring forth your strong reasons, and shew us what shall happen. Is. xl. 22.

   Say not I have sinned, and what harm hath happened unto me. Ecclus. v. 4.

   If it so fall out that thou art miserable for ever, thou hast no reason to be surprized, as if some unexpected thing had happened to thee. John Tillotson, Sermons.

   2. To light; to fall by chance.

   I have happened on some other accounts relating to mortalities. John Graunt, Bills of Mortality.

Webster Dictionary(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. Happenverb

   to come by chance; to come without previous expectation; to fall out

2. Happenverb

   to take place; to occur

3. Etymology: [OE. happenen, hapnen. See Hap to happen.]

Editors Contribution(0.00 / 0 votes)Rate this definition:

1. happen

   To occur.

   The creation of peace is happening as we speak all around the world.

   
   

   Submitted by MaryC on February 16, 2020  

Matched Categories

1. • Chance
   • Happen

British National Corpus

1. Spoken Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'happen' in Spoken Corpus Frequency: #1376

2. Written Corpus Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'happen' in Written Corpus Frequency: #552

3. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'happen' in Verbs Frequency: #64

How to pronounce happen?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say happen in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of happen in Chaldean Numerology is: 5

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of happen in Pythagorean Numerology is: 6

Examples of happen in a Sentence

1. Don Knabe:

   It's called choices and consequences, good choices, good things happen. Bad choices, bad things happen.

2. Abhishek Saxena:

   The current government will play hardball... I do not think any new approvals for China proposals will happen in a hurry.

3. Emmanuel Macron:

   I believe this chemical attack took place, I believe my red line was crossed, the tone was very direct, the two presidents were under no illusion about what was going to happen.

4. Sarah Shapiro:

   We lived our life in for two years to prevent her from getting COVID, finally went for the vax, and the one thing that we didn’t want to happen happened, it wasn’t enough time for her body to build antibodies. She did end up getting COVID.

5. Raja Krishnamoorthi:

   Certainly, I think the president does want this total absolute exoneration, in all caps, to happen, ASAP. And I think that perhaps, Mitch McConnell or four Republican senators would join with Democrats to call for a fair process.

Popularity rank by frequency of use