be·fall

[bih-fawl] verb, be·fell, be·fall·en, be·fall·ing.
verb (used without object)
1.
to happen or occur.
2.
Archaic. to come, as by right.
verb (used with object)
3.
to happen to, especially by chance or fate.

Origin:
before 900; Middle English befallen, Old English befeallan. See be-, fall (v.)


1. bechance, ensue, betide, materialize, chance.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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World English Dictionary
befall (bɪˈfɔːl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
vb (usually foll by to) , -falls, -falling, -fell, -fallen
1.  (intr) to take place; come to pass
2.  (tr) to happen to
3.  to be due, as by right
 
[Old English befeallan; related to Old High German bifallan, Dutch bevallen; see be-, fall]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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00:10
Befell is always a great word to know.
So is quincunx. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.
Etymonline
Word Origin & History

befall
O.E. befeallan "to deprive of; fall to, be assigned to; befall," from be- "by, about" + feallan (see fall).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Shortly after this exploit, tragedy befell the program.
Emanuel and his colleagues aren't sure which disaster befell the dinosaurs.
She is a fighter, and never gave up no matter what hardship befell her.
No matter what befell him, his goal always was to return to her.
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