hap

1
[ hap ]
See synonyms for hap on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. one's luck or lot.

  2. an occurrence, happening, or accident.

verb (used without object),happed, hap·ping.
  1. to happen: if it so hap.

Origin of hap

1
First recorded in 1150–1200; Middle English, from Old Norse happ “luck, chance”; akin to Old English gehæp “fit, convenient”; probably akin to Old Church Slavonic kobŭ “auspice,” Old Irish cob “victory”

Words Nearby hap

Other definitions for hap (2 of 3)

hap2
[ hap, ap ]

noun
  1. a comforter or quilt.

verb (used with object)
  1. to cover with or as with a comforter or quilt.

Origin of hap

2
1350–1400; Middle English happen to cover; perhaps blend of lappenlap2 and Old French happer to seize

Other definitions for Hap (3 of 3)

Hap
[ hahp, khahp ]

nounEgyptian Religion.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use hap in a sentence

  • What better hap could a cavalry subaltern desire than such a fight under such conditions?

    The Red Year | Louis Tracy
  • But natheless it may hap that I find a chief who is less afeared of great ventures than thou art, King.

  • Sea sprinkles wrinkles, tinkles lightShells' bells—boy's joys that hap to snap!

  • The Queen had tried to hold back Gilbert 'of her especial care, as a man noted of no good hap by sea.'

    Sir Walter Ralegh | William Stebbing
  • But as to getting things into the house hap hazard, really everything is so dear—it's quite out of reason.'

    Camilla | Fanny Burney

British Dictionary definitions for hap (1 of 2)

hap1

/ (hæp) /


nounarchaic
  1. luck; chance

  2. an occurrence

verbhaps, happing or happed
  1. (intr) an archaic word for happen

Origin of hap

1
C13: from Old Norse happ good luck; related to Old English gehæplic convenient, Old Slavonic kobǔ fate

British Dictionary definitions for hap (2 of 2)

hap2

/ (hæp) Scot and Eastern British dialect /


verb(tr)
  1. to cover up; wrap up warmly

noun
  1. a covering of any kind

Origin of hap

2
C14: perhaps of Norse origin

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012