Webster's English Dictionary

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happen

hap.pen \'hap-*n, -*m\ \'hap-(*-)nin\ vi or hap.pen.ing [ME happenen, fr. 
   hap] 1: to occur by chance  2a: to come into being  2b: to take place : 
   OCCUR  3: CHANCE {~ed to hear}  4a: to meet something by chance  4b: to 
   appear by chance e about. HAPPEN is the general term applying to whatever 
   comes about with or without causation or intention; CHANCE implies 
   happening without plan or apparent causation; OCCUR differs from HAPPEN in 
   stressing presentation to sight or attention; TRANSPIRE specifically 
   implies a coming out or becoming known {what happened that day only 
   transpired much later} but is often nearly equal to OCCUR; it may suggest 
   an event of some importance SYN syn HAPPEN, CHANCE, OCCUR, TRANSPIRE mean 
   to com