Definitions for happen
ˈhæp ənhap·pen

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. happen

   Happen means to occur or take place; an event or situation that takes place without being planned or expected.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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 ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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. Andy Warhol:

   People sometimes say that the way things happen in the movies is unreal, but actually it's the way things happen to you in life that's unreal. The movies make emotions look so strong and real, whereas when things really do happen to you, it's like watching television -- you don't feel anything.

2. Erin Burnett:

   I just don't know, you'll have to ask him that question. Look, I hope he's fine because I think it would be a shame. What he's saying is these things happen. It'd be nice if he said none of these things did happen. He's saying these things happen and therefore I have credibility. And what I'm saying is, I'd rather have them if they didn't happen. I don't want somebody who hit somebody in the face with a padlock.

3. Epictetus:

   Seek not that the things which happen should happen as you wish but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.

4. Adam Levine:

   We want to have that happen, it is hard to do that… Being successful is really, really difficult. A lot of things have to come together at the right moment for that to happen… It's going to happen. I genuinely believe that.

5. James Lovell, speech to Girl Scouts in DuPage County, Illinois, 1997 - quoted in the Chicago Tribune 2-3-03:

   There are people who make things happen, there are people who watch things happen, and there are people who wonder what happened. To be successful, you need to be a person who makes things happen.

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