happen
come to pass
How often you will meet it
Rank 1,178 of 71,295 words measured. It occurs 15,515 times across 155,139 chapters — 0.007% of every word in the library.
What it means
verb
- come to pass also: hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out What is happening?The meeting took place off without an incidence
- happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance also: befall, bechance It happens that today is my birthdayThese things befell
- chance to be or do something, without intention or causation I happen to have just what you need!
- come into being; become reality also: materialize, materialise Her dream really materialized
- come upon, as if by accident; meet with also: find, chance, bump, encounter We find this idea in PlatoI happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here
happen in real books
Each sentence below was written by a published author and is taken from a different book in our library. Open one to read the passage it came from, with narration.
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It seemed to him it would help if that should happen today.
The Courage of the Commonplace · Mary Raymond Shipman Andrews · Chapter 1
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Extraordinary things happen to them, and adventures far more marvellous than those in a work of fiction.
The Dream · Émile Zola · Chapter 1
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Should any thing extraordinary happen, beckon to me, and I’ll wait for you in the Rue des Minimes.
Other People's Money · Emile Gaboriau · Chapter 1
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As the Fenians always do exactly what they promise to do, this may be relied upon as certain to happen.
Punchinello, Volume 1, No. 08, May 21, 1870 · Various · Chapter 1
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It will sometimes happen to him to get invited--really invited--to an actual country house where genuine sport is carried on.
Punch — Volume 99, August 16, 1890 · Various · Chapter 1