v.
- take place; occur.
- come about by chance.
▸chance to do something or come about.
▸
(happen on)
come across by chance.
▸used as a polite formula in questions:
do you happen to know who her doctor is?
-
(happen to)
be experienced by; befall.
▸become of.
adv.
N. English perhaps; maybe.
Phrase
- as it happens
actually; as a matter of fact.
Etymology
ME (superseding the verb hap): from the noun hap + -en1.