1. 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   happen, befall, betide, chance, occur. 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 © 2007, 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.