Meaning of happen In English

• 0 (of a situation or an event) to have existence or come into existence:

  • No one knows exactly what happened but several people have been hurt.

  • Anything could happen in the next half hour.

  • A funny thing happened in the office today.

  • I don't want to think about what might have happened if he'd been driving any faster.

  • I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to him (= if he was hurt, became ill, or died).

  • What happened to your jacket? There's a big rip in the sleeve.

  • What's happened to my pen? (= Where is it?) I put it down there a few moments ago.

• 1 to do or be by chance:

  • [ + to infinitive ] They happened to look (= looked by chance) in the right place almost immediately.

  • [ + (that) ] Fortunately it happened (that) there was no one in the house at the time of the explosion.

  • [ + that ] It just so happens that I have her phone number right here.

  • She happens to like cleaning (= she likes cleaning, although that is surprising).

  • I happen to think he's right (= I do think so, although you do not).

  • As it happened (= although it was not planned), I had a few minutes to spare.

• 2 perhaps:

  • Happen it'll rain later on.

• 3 (of a situation or event) to come into existence; occur:

  • If you want to know what is happening in the world, you have to read the newspapers.

  • No one knows exactly what happened, but several people have been hurt.

  • What happened to Phil? I thought he would be here by now.

• 4 to do or be by chance:

  • [ + to infinitive ] I happened to come across this book I think you would like.

  • [ + to infinitive ] I happen to think he’s right (= I do, although others may not).

• 5 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 welfare state.

  • The market highs have provided an impetus for companies to sell their shares before investors lose interest, which often happens during a holiday week.

• 6 to be done or exist by chance:

  • What happens in one country or region may not happen in another.

  • happen by accident/chance "The state's economic vitality has not happened by accident," he said.

• 7 to affect someone or something in a way that changes something:

  • Everywhere I go people are becoming more and more depressed by what is happening to their savings.

• 8 to be done or come into existence suddenly:

  • did not/may not/will not happen overnight This crisis didn't happen overnight.