Happen, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Happened; p. pr. & vb. n. Happening.]
Etymology: [OE. happenen, hapnen. See Hap to happen.]
1. To come by chance; to come without previous expectation; to fall out. There shall no evil happen to the just. Prov. xii. 21.
2. To take place; to occur. All these things which had happened. Luke xxiv. 14. To happen on, to meet with; to fall or light upon. "I have happened on some other accounts." Graunt. -- To happen in, to make a casual call. [Colloq.]
Shades of meaning
A thing is said to happen when no design is manifest, or none especially thought of; it is said to chance when it appears to be the result of accident (compare synonyms for accident). An incident happens or occurs; something external or actual happens to one; a thought or fancy occurs to him. Befall and betide are transitive; happen is intransitive; something befalls or betides a person or happens to him. Betide is especially used for anticipated evil, thought of as waiting and coming at its appointed time; as, wo betide him! One event supervenes upon another event, one disease upon another, etc. ["Transpire," in the sense of happen, is not authorized by good usage: a thing that has happened is properly said to transpire when it becomes known.]
Prepositions
An event happens to a person; a person happens on or upon a fact, discovery, etc.