Happen

Definition: Happen

Happen

Verb

1. Come to pass; "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed important".

2. Happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance; "It happens that today is my birthday"; "These things befell" (Santayana).

3. Chance to be or do something, without intention or causation: "I happen to have just what you need!".

4. Come into being; become reality; "Her dream really materialized".

5. Come upon, as if by accident; meet with; "We find this idea in Plato"; "I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here"; "She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day".

Source: WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
 

Date "happen" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1258. (references)

Note: Happen \Hap"pen\, intransitive verb. [imperative past participle Happened; present participle verb or noun Happening.]. (references)

Tips from 1870

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Synonyms: Happen

Certainty

Adverb: certainly; Adjective: for certain, certes, sure, no doubt, doubtless, and no mistake, flagrante delicto, sure enough, to be sure, of course, as a matter of course, a coup sur, to a certainty; in truth; (truly); at any rate, at all events; without fail; coute que coute, coute qu'il coute; whatever may happen, if the worst come to the worst; come what may, happen what may, come what will; sink or swim; rain or shine.

Chance 2

Adverb: by chance, accidentally, by accident; casually; perchance; (possibly); for aught one knows; as good would have it, as bad would have it, as luck would have it, as ill-luck would have it, as chance would have it; as it may be, as it may chance, as it may turn up, as it may happen; as the case may be.

Circumstance

Conditionally, provided, if, in case; if so, if so be, if it be so; depending on circumstances, in certain circumstances, under certain conditions; if it so happen, if it so turn out; in the event of; in such a contingency, in such a case, in such an event; provisionally, unless, without.

According to circumstances, according to the occasion; as it may happen, as it may turn out,as it may be; as the case may be, as the wind blows; pro re nata.

Destiny

Adverb: in time, the long run; all in good time; eventually; whatever may happen; (certainly); as chance; would have it.

Adjective: impending; Verb: destined; about to be, happen; coming, in store, to come, going to happen, instant, at hand, near; near, close at hand; over hanging, hanging over one's head, imminent; brewing, preparing, forthcoming; int he wind, on the cards, in reserve; that will, is to be; in prospect; (expected); looming in the distance, horizon, future; unborn, in embryo; int he womb of time, futurity; pregnant; (producing).

Eventuality

Adverb: eventually; in the event of, in case, just in case; in the course of things; as things, times go; as the world goes, wags; as the tree falls, cat jumps; as it may turn out, happen.

Verb: happen, occur; take place, take effect; come, become of; come off, comeabout, come round, come into existence, come forth, come to pass, come on; pass, present itself; fall; fall out, turn out; run, be on foot, fall in; befall, betide, bechance; prove, eventuate, draw on; turn up, crop up, spring up, pop up, arise, show up, show its face, appear, come forth, cast up; supervene, survene; issue, arrive, ensue, arise, start, hold, take its course; pass off; (be past).

Intention

En passant, by the way, incidentally; as it may happen; at random, at a venture, at haphazard.

Rashness

Adverb: post haste, a corps perdu, hand over head, tete baissee, headforemost; happen what may, come what may.

Crosswords: Happen

Dutch (bite), German (bite, morsel, mouthful, snack).

I hope not, but accidents do happen. (Tomorrow Never Dies; writing credit: Bruce Feirstein)

I don't think anything bad ought to happen to children (Sling Blade; writing credit: Charles Chaplin)

I didn't think such violent things could happen to ordinary people (Brief Encounter; writing credit: David Lean, written by Noel Coward, Anthony Havelock-Allan, David Lean, and Ronald Neame.)

If it had to happen to one of us, why did it have to happen to you (An Affair To Remember; writing credit: Delmer Daves, Leo McCarey)

You want to know what happen to Boromir (The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers; writing credit: Frances Walsh)

You're gonna make it happen (Make it Happen; performing artist: Mariah Carey)

What would happen if we kissed (What Would Happen; performing artist: Meredith Brooks)

The best thing to happen to you (Feelin' Stronger Everyday; performing artist: Chicago)

So why did I give my heart so fast, it never will happen again (Only Sixteen; performing artist: DR. HOOK)

Join the dance and let it happen (Rhythm Divine; performing artist: Enrique Iglesias)

Apparently there is nothing that cannot happen today. (references; author: Mark Twain)

Most accidents happen at home. Maybe we should move. (references; author: unknown)

God gave us time so that everything wouldn't happen all at once. (references; author: unknown)

Sleeping on the job: They told me at the blood bank that this might happen. (references; author: unknown)

Eat one live toad the first thing in the morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day. (references; author: unknown)

It Couldn't Happen to a Nicer Guy (1974)

Funny Things Happen Down Under (1965)

Accidents Will Happen (1964)

It Should Happen to You (1954)

Anything Can Happen (1952)

It Could Only Happen On Halloween (performing artist: Gregory's Funhouse)

Make It Happen (performing artist: Mariah Carey)

What Would Happen (performing artist: Meredith Brooks)

Worst That Could Happen (performing artist: The Brooklyn Bridge)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Books

• It Will Never Happen to Me (reference)

• The Leader's Handbook: Making Things Happen, Getting Things Done (reference)

  (more book examples)

Theater & Movies

• It Could Happen to You (reference)

• Making Lean Happen in Your Organization (reference)

• Moses' Red Sea Miracle:Did It Happen (reference)

  (more DVD examples; more video examples)

Music

• It Had to Happen (reference)

• Let It Happen (reference)

  (more classical music examples; more popular music examples)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

A bowl of berries is a treat for the eye as well as a delight for the palate. But these tasty little morsels happen to be quite tricky to grow, harvest, and handle. These crops tend to have brief growing seasons and are vulnerable to insects, disease, and even birds, so ARS scientists have given them lots of attention. P. Credit: USDA ARS News; photo by Scott Bauer..

Toxic Shock Syndrome is so rare you might forget it can happen... Credit: National Library of Medicine.

This Could Happen To Your Family ...if you drink alcohol : Fight Alcohol. Credit: National Library of Medicine.

Just a minute, Captain Barney hailed. I liked that speech fust-rate, but when anybody starts spinnin' yarns about worms eatin' up through a brand new vessel's hull, I say it couldn't happen. Credit: Library of Congress.

It can't happen here -- or can it?. Credit: Library of Congress.

Wot'd happen if the ingine was t'stop? : Wot'd happen!! why we'd git ... Credit: Library of Congress.

Mistakes will happen written by Grant Stewart. Credit: Library of Congress.

Eradication of smallpox in the world is about to happen. Credit: Library of Congress.

PPP calls week of protest on rape of democracy in Guyana, July 10-16, 1979 : don't let it happen again!. Credit: Library of Congress.

He makes things happen! : re-elect State Senator Roy M. Goodman, Republican-Liberal. Credit: Library of Congress.

Source: pictures compiled by the editor from various references; see picture credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Secondly, I answer, such revolutions happen not upon every little mismanagement in public affairs. (Second Treatise of Government)

Clause 4: When vacancies happen in the Representation from any State, the Executive Authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such Vacancies. (reference)

When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct. (reference)

We surely must not let that happen again. ("Iron Curtain" Speech)

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

It's just what would happen.

Yes, Harriet, just so long have I been wanting the very circumstance to happen what has happened

If you push it in, the events of the next hour happen in the reverse order

In this replacement Earth we're building they've given me Africa to do and of course I'm doing it with all fjords again because I happen to like them, and I'm old fashioned enough to think that they give a lovely baroque feel to a continent

Accidents happen there

It could happen in an instant

It was as though they were afraid something might happen in the split second of darkness

I longed to see the ocean, which must be the only scene of my escape, if ever it should happen.

If one may judge who rarely looks into the newspapers, nothing new does ever happen in foreign parts, a French revolution not excepted

Now for a handful of guilders I happen to have a private and uncut performance of the rape of the Sabine Women - or rather woman, or rather Alfred -Get your skirt on Alfred

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Health

About one-third of listeriosis cases happen during pregnancy. (references)

These can happen at any age, but they appear worse in childhood. (references)

Problems may also happen when nerve signals don't work properly. (references)

Business

Most of these grants and projects happen under academic and economic cooperation programs. (references)

More recently, the European Union has approved a directive that attempts to clearly outline what the software industry would like to see happen. (references)

The European average is 30 percent but if this is going to happen in Sweden, another terrestrial TV channel needs to be introduced on the market. (references)

Civil Liberties

Panama

In order for the case to proceed, Gorriti must be notified legally, which cannot happen since he is in Peru. (references)

Economic History

Canada

It is unlikely that this will happen in the foreseeable future. (references)

China

This type of restructuring is expected to happen in all 31 provinces. (references)

Human Rights

Nigeria

Persons who happen to be in the vicinity of a crime when it is committed normally are held for interrogation for periods ranging from a few hours to several months. (references)

Minorities

Kuwait

The Government has not clearly stated what will happen to bidoon unable to provide documentation proving sufficient ties. (references)

Women

Syria

Instances of honor crimes are rare and happen primarily in rural areas in which Bedouin customs prevail. (references)

Worker Rights

Brunei

The law permits a worker to leave a hazardous job site without jeopardizing his employment, but in practice this is unlikely to happen. (references)

Israel and the occupied territories

The law does not allow foreign workers the ability to obtain citizenship or permanent residence status, unless they happen to be Jewish, in which case they would qualify under the laws which allow for Jewish persons to immigrate. (references)

Source: compiled by the editor from ICON Group International, Inc.; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references; see credits.

Source: compiled by the editor from various references.

Expressions using "happen": about to happen ♦ as it may happen ♦ can't happen ♦ certain to happen ♦ either could happen ♦ happen again ♦ happen along ♦ happen by chance ♦ happen in ♦ happen in a rush ♦ happen on ♦ happen on smth. ♦ happen on the solution ♦ happen to ♦ happen to be ♦ happen to do smth. ♦ happen to do so ♦ happen to meet ♦ happen to see ♦ happen to see her ♦ happen upon ♦ happen what may ♦ not to happen ♦ should smth. happen to me ♦ this can't happen ♦ To happen in ♦ To happen on ♦ whatever may happen ♦ you never know what could happen. Additional references.

Containing "happen": oh-it-will-never-happen-here.

Afrikaans

word (become, come about, get, grow, is), raak (become, come about, get, grow), plaatsvind (come about, occur), geskie (come about, occur), gebeur (come about, occur). (various references)

Albanian

takoj (attach, belong, chance on, come across, cross, encounter, meet, reach, run up against, salute), rastis (chance, hap), qëllon (chance, fall, hap), pëson, ngjet (become, come, fall out, transpire), ngjan (befall, come to pass, occur, parallel, seem), ndodh (become, befall, chance, come about, come off, come to pass, eventuate, exist, fall, fall out, hap, occur, pass, set, transpire), kam shansin. (various references)

Arabic 

‏وقع (be located, befall, come, come off, drop, dwell, fall, ground smb., land, locate, place, position, rhythm, run, set one's hand to, sign, sign up, site, strike, subscribe, supervene, take place, tumble, underwrite), ‏حدث (befall, calamity, come, come about, come by, come off, disaster, episode, event, fall out, flow, go, happening, incident, juvenile, occasion, occur, pass, phenomenon, place, rise, take place, transpire, work, young, youngish, youngling, youngster), ‏صادف (chance, come across, encounter, fall in with, happen on, light upon, meet, meet by chance, run across, stumble, stumble on, tumble), ‏جد (ancestor, earnest, forbear, forefather, granddad, grandfather, grandpa, grandpapa, grandparent, hard work, industry, predecessor, seriousness). (various references)

Asturian

pasar (to happen). (various references)

Bemba

ukucitika (to happen). (various references)

Bulgarian 

става (articulation, be, joint, take place), случва се (be), случи се така че. (various references)

Cebuano

mahitabo (to happen). (various references)

Chamorro

para ma susedi (to happen). (various references)

Chinese 

发生 (Happened, happening, Occur, Occurred, Occurrence, Occurring). (various references)

Cornish

wharfos (to happen). (various references)

Czech

stát se (become, come, come about, get, grow, join, occur, pass), přihodit se (befall, come about, intervene, occur). (various references)

Danish

ske (become, come about, grow, occur, spoon), blive (abide, become, come about, get, grow, remain, stay, stay over). (various references)

Dutch

voortgang hebben (become, come about, grow), toegaan (be closed, become, close, come about, grow), gebeuren (become, come about, event, grow, occasion, occur, occurence, opportunity). (various references)

Ecuadorian Quechua

tucuna (to happen). (various references)

Esperanto

okazi (come about, occur), fariĝi (become, come about, grow). (various references)

Faeroese

henda seg (come about, occur), verða hildin (come about, occur), verða (become, come about, get, grow), gerast (become, come about, get, grow). (various references)

Farsi 

پیشامدکردن , واقع شدن (Lie, Occur), تصادفابرخوردکردن , روی دادن (Befall, Go), رخ دادن اتفاق افتادن . (various references)

Finnish

tapahtua (come about, come to pass, occur, take place). (various references)

French

se passer, devenir, arriver, advenir. (various references)

Frisian

foarfalle (come about, occur). (various references)

German

geschehen (be committed, be done, be rid of, become, betide, come about, done, grow, happened, occur, take place, to happen), vorkommen (be found, become, come about, come forward, come out, come to the front, deposit, exist, feature, grow, haunt, incidence, incidences, occur, occurances, occurence, occurrence, seem), sich ereignen (come about, occur, to happen, to take place), passieren (be committed, be done, be rid of, come about, go on, negotiate, negotiation, occur, pass, pass by, strain). (various references)

Greek 

συμβαίνω (bechance, befall, betide, chance, come about, fall out, fortune, go on, go on 1, go on 2, hap, occur, pass off, transpire, turn up). (various references)

Hebrew 

לקום (arise, get up, rise, set upon, stand up, take place), לקרות (befall, hap, occur, take place), לארוע (befall, occur, take place), לארע, להיות (be, become, come to pass, exist), להתארע (befall, occur, take place), להתגלגל (emerge, roll, roll along, trundle, wheel), להתרחש (befall, come about, eventuate, hap, occur, take place, transpire), להזדמן (chance, come incidentally, occur), להגיע (arrive, come, reach, suffice, touch). (various references)

Hungarian

történik (befall, came, come, come about, it's all fair and square, occur, take place, to betide, to come, to come to pass, to hap, to supervene, to take place, to transpire). (various references)

Icelandic

verða (become, come about, get, grow). (various references)

Indonesian

terjadi (beenacted, ensue, occur, take place), mendatang (approaching, arrive, come, coming, impending, occur, upcoming), berlaku (act (as), behave, in effect, occur). (various references)

Inuktitut

pikailuni (to happen). (various references)

Italian

succedere (befall, come, come about, follow, follow one another, occur, succeed, to happen), accadere (be, befall, chance, come, come about, ensue, intervene, occur, pass, take place, transpire), arrivare (accomplish, achieve, arrive, attain, be reduced to, come, come about, end up, get, go as far as, go so far as, occur, reach, receive, roll in, roll up, to arrive), avvenire (come about, come off, future, futurity, hereafter, occur). (various references)

Japanese Kanji 

生起 (occurrence, take place). (various references)

Japanese Katakana 

せいき (animation, century, Christian era, consciousness, era, essence, established, formal, genital, legal, legitimate, life, life energy, occurrence, prosperous period, regular, sanity, soberness, spirit, take place, true character, true heart, true spirit, verve, vigor, vitality). (various references)

Kongo

ku-lungisa (to happen). (various references)

Korean 

일어나십시요 (Arise, Occur). (various references)

Macedonian

se sluchuva (to happen). (various references)

Malay

terjadi (come about, occur). (various references)

Manx

taghyrt (accident, chance, contingency, contingent, event, eventuate, experience, fluke, happening, incident, occur, occurrence), taghyr. (various references)

Maori

tuupono (to happen). (various references)

Maya

uuch (to happen). (various references)

Norwegian

hende, skje (spoon), bli (be, become, come about, get, grow, stay). (various references)

Papiamen

sosodé (come about, occur), bira (become, come about, get, grow), akontesé (come about, occur). (various references)

Pig Latin

appenhay.(various references)

Polish

zdarzyć się (come about, occur), wydarzyć się (come about, occur), stawać się (become, come about, get, grow). (various references)

Portuguese

acontecer (become, become of, befall, betide, chance, come, come about, cut in, ensue, eventuate, fare, get, grow, intervene, occur, take place, transpire), suceder (arrive, befall, betide, chance, come about, cut in, ensue, eventuate, get along, intervene, occur, pass off, succeed, transpire). (various references)

Portuguese Brazilian

acontecer. (various references)

Provencal

passar (to happen). (various references)

Romanian

nimeri (be, get, hit), ţinea (administer, arrest, resist, retain), întâmpla (be good at telling a story, befall), apãrea (appear, arise, break, come, come in one's way, come in sight, crop out, dawn, emerge, figure, glimpse, go out, peep, peer, present, rise, show one's face, spring), chiti (adorn, aim at, arrange, consider, embellish, hit, think), deveni (become, come, come about, come of, get, go, go public, grow, pass into, run, wax), face (achieve, act, anoint, appoint, be, be up to smth., bear, build, carry out, commit, compose, conclude, cook, cost, create, cut, dispense, do, does, draw, drive, effect, form, give, give forth, grow, have, hold, induce, it does, keep, lead, leave, let, make, move, perform, perpetrate, persuade, prepare, produce, prompt, render, say, scoop in, strike, work, write, yield), ţine (carry, check, continue, deliver, endure, hang onto, hold, keep, last, live, observe, own, poise, resist, retain, run, stand, stock, support, wield), interveni (arise, butt in, chip in, intercede, interfere, intervene, prevent, step in), vedea (behold, catch sight of, consider, descry, distinguish, do, find, get a peep, notice, observe, perceive, realize, recognize, see, spy, stand by, understand), petrece (accompany, carouse, celebrate, end, feast, frolic, go with, junket, live, make good cheer, pass, revel, spend, spree, suffer, undergo), pomeni (cite, find oneself, meet, mention, remember, see), produce (afford, arise, bear, bring, bring about, bring forth, cause, create, deliver, engender, fabricate, generate, give, give forth, machine, make, manufacture, mill, operate, produce, raise, shape, yield), se întâmpla (be up, become, befall, betide, chance, come, come about, come of, fortune, hap, hit, occur, pass, transpire), se întîmpla (come about, occur), se gãsi din întâmplare, surveni (intervene, supervene), fi (be, come, cost, exist, go, keep, lie, make, occur, stand). (various references)

Romansch

capitar (to happen). (various references)

Ruanda

kuba (to happen). (various references)

Russian 

случаться (be, become, become of, befall, come, come about, fare, hap, happened, occur, take place). (various references)

Samoan

e tupu (to happen). (various references)

Scottish

tuit (befall, drop, fall, set as the sun), tachair (come to pass, meet, meet with). (various references)

Sepedi

diragala (to happen). (various references)

Serbo-Croatian

slučajno se zadesiti, imati sreće (be lucky to), dogoditi se (come about, come to pass, occur), desiti se (come about, eventuate, occur, transpire). (various references)

Sicilian

accadiri (to happen). (various references)

Spanish

tener lugar (come about, come off, occur, take place, transpire), acontecer (become, befall, come about, grow, occur, occurances, recource), realizarse (come about, come true, materialize, occur), pasar (blow over, bypass, come, come about, come by, come down, come in, come off, cross, dilute, draw, elapse, enact, ensue, expend, function, gait, get, get across, get by, get over, get through, give, go, go by, go off, go on, go over, go past, go through, goffer, hand, hand down, hand on, hand over, kick around, knot, lapse, last, light out, line, live, live through, move, occupy, occur, outdo, overstep, overtake, pass, pass across, pass away, pass by, pass off, pass on, pass round, passing, pop in, post, proceed, put across, put down, reach, relay, render, ride by, roll by, run, shift, skip, smuggle, spend, strain, suffer, swallow, take away, throw out, tick away, tick by, to pass, to spend, touch, tough, turn, turn about, turn around, turn over, wear off, wear on, while), ocurrir (befall, betide, come, come about, come off, go on, occur, pass, take place), hacerse (become, come about, form, get, go, go through, grow, grow into, grow out, live, turn about, turn around, wax), acaecer. (various references)

Sranan

tron (become, come about, get, grow), kon (arrive, become, come, come about, end up, get, grow). (various references)

Swazi

kw-ehlákala (to happen). (various references)

Swedish

hända (befall, betide, come, come about, cook, give, hap, occur, pass, take place, transpire), inträffa (arrive, come about, fall, occur), ske (be done, come, come about, come to pass, occur). (various references)

Tagalog

nagíing (become, come about, get, grow). (various references)

Thai

พบโดยบังเอิญ (happen on, happen upon, meet, meet up, meet with), ปรากฏ (rise). (various references)

Turkish

olmak (be, be situated, become, befall, come about, come off, come over, eventuate, exist, fare, get, go, go on, grow, hap, hatch, have, hit, mature, occur, take place, turn). (various references)

Turkmen 

bolmak (be). (various references)

Ukrainian

відбуватися (arrive, be in progress, betide, come about, come off, develop, emanate, hap, intervene, occur, proceed, transpire), пощастити. (various references)

Welsh

darfod (become, come about, end, finish, grow, occur, perish). (various references)

Yucatec

uuchul (come about, occur). (various references)

Zulu

-enzeka (come about, occur). (various references)

accidere, cedar, cedebat, cedent, cedentque, cedere, cedes, cedet, cedit, cedo, cedson, cessa, cesseris, cesserunt, cessimus, cessisset, cessit, cesso, coneris, evenerint, evenerit, evenerunt, eveniant, evenient, eveniet, evenio, evenire, evenisse, evenissent, evenisset, evenit, eveniunt, eventu, eventum, eventura, eventurum, eventus, expetam, expetere, expetierit, expetit, expetivit, expetunt, facta, factae, factaeque, factam, factaque, factas, facti, factique, factis, facto, factorum, factos, factum, factumque, factura, facturi, facturum, facturus, factus, factusque, fiam, fiant, fias, fiat, fiatque, fiebant, fiebat, fiendum, fient, fierent, fieret, fieretque, fieri, fiet, fimus, fit, fiunt, incidam, incidamque, incidas, incidat, incidebant, incidemus, incident, incidentes, incidere, incideremus, inciderent, inciderit, inciderunt, incidet, incidetis, incidi, incidissemus, incidisti, incidit, inciditque, incidunt, intercidentis, occuro, offi. (various references)