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happened

 - 3 dictionary results

hap⋅pen

  [hap-uhn]
Use happened 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.
Cite This Source Link To happened
hap·pen   (hāp'ən)   
intr.v.   hap·pened, hap·pen·ing, hap·pens

    1. To come to pass.

    2. To come into being.

  2. To take place or occur by chance.

  3. To come upon something by chance.

  4. To come or go casually; make an appearance.


[Middle English happenen, from hap, chance; see hap.]
Synonyms: These verbs mean to come about: saw an awful thing happen; predicted that misery will befall humankind; woe that betides the poor soldier; former friends who chanced to meet again; described the accident exactly as it occurred.
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

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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