happen — vb Happen, chance, occur, befall, betide, transpire are comparable when they mean to come to pass or to come about. Happen is the ordinary and general term and may imply either obvious causation or seeming accident, either design or an absence of … New Dictionary of Synonyms
happen — UK US /ˈhæpən/ verb [I] ► to exist or begin to exist because of an action, situation, or event: » The one course of events no one anticipated was the one that happened: a long period of stagnation that threatened the assumptions of the European… … Financial and business terms
happen — [hap′ən] vi. [ME happenen: see HAP1 & EN] 1. to take place; occur; befall 2. to be or occur by chance or without plan [it happened to rain] 3. to have the luck or occasion; chance [I happened to see it] … English World dictionary
happen along — ˈhappen a ˌlong ˈhappen ˌby [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they happen along he/she/it happens along present participle … Useful english dictionary
Happen — Hap pen (h[a^]p p n), v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Happened} ( p nd); p. pr. & vb. n. {Happening}.] [OE. happenen, hapnen. See {Hap} to happen.] 1. To come by chance; to come without previous expectation; to fall out. [1913 Webster] There shall no evil… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
happen into — ● happen * * * happen into [phrasal verb] happen into (a place) US : to enter (a place) by chance She happened into the room just as the music started. • • • Main Entry: ↑happen … Useful english dictionary
happen overnight — ► to be done or come into existence suddenly: did not/may not/will not happen overnight »This crisis didn t happen overnight. Main Entry: ↑happen … Financial and business terms
happen — ► VERB 1) take place; occur. 2) come about by chance. 3) (happen on) come across by chance. 4) chance to do something or come about. 5) (happen to) be experienced by. 6) ( … English terms dictionary
happen by — ˈhappen a ˌlong ˈhappen ˌby [intransitive] [present tense I/you/we/they happen along he/she/it happens along … Useful english dictionary
happen on — ˈhappen ˌon ˈhappen u ˌpon [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they happen on he/she/it happens on present participle happ … Useful english dictionary
happen on/upon — [phrasal verb] happen on/upon (someone or something) literary + old fashioned : to find or meet (someone or something) by chance She happened on a little cottage in the woods. I happened upon them at the grocery store. • • • Main Entry: ↑happen … Useful english dictionary