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happen on

 - 2 dictionary results

hap⋅pen

  [hap-uhn]
Use happen on in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to take place; come to pass; occur: Something interesting is always happening in New York.
2. to come to pass by chance; occur without apparent reason or design: Don't ask me what caused it—it just happened, that's all.
3. to have the fortune or lot (to do or be as specified); chance: I happened to see him on the street.
4. to befall, as to a person or thing: Something dreadful has happened to me.
5. to meet or discover by chance (usually fol. by on or upon): to happen on a clue to a mystery.
6. to be, come, go, etc., casually or by chance: My friend happened along.
7. Slang. to be very exciting or interesting: That party was happening!
Origin:
1300–50; ME hap(pe)nen. See hap 1 , -en 1

Synonyms:
1. betide. Happen, chance, occur refer to the taking place of an event. Happen, which originally denoted the taking place by hap or chance, is now the most general word for coming to pass: Something has happened. Chance suggests the accidental nature of an event: It chanced to rain that day. Occur is often interchangeable with happen, but is more formal, and is usually more specific as to time and event: His death occurred the following year.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
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Word Origin & History

happen 
c.1300, happenen "to come to pass, occur," originally "occur by hap" (see hap); replaced O.E. gelimpan, gesceon, and M.E. befall. First record of happenstance is 1897, formed from happening + circumstance. Happening in the sense of "spontaneous event or display" is from 1959.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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