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befall

 - 3 dictionary results

be⋅fall

  [bi-fawl] verb, -fell, -fall⋅en, -fall⋅ing.
Use befall in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to happen or occur.
2. Archaic. to come, as by right.
–verb (used with object)
3. to happen to, esp. by chance or fate.
Origin:
bef. 900; ME befallen, OE befeallan. See be-, fall (v.)

Synonyms:
1. bechance, ensue, betide, materialize, chance.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To befall
be·fall   (bĭ-fôl')   
v.   be·fell (-fěl'), be·fall·en (-fô'lən), be·fall·ing, be·falls

v.   intr.
To come to pass; happen.
v.   tr.
To happen to. See Synonyms at happen.

[Middle English bifallen, from Old English befeallan, to fall.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Word Origin & History

befall 
O.E. befeallan "to fall," from be- "by, about" + feallan (see fall).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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