befall

American  

[bih-fawl] / bɪˈfɔl /

verb (used without object)

befell, befallen, befalling

1. to happen or occur.

   Synonyms:

   chance, materialize, betide, ensue, bechance

2. Archaic. to come, as by right.

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verb (used with object)

befell, befallen, befalling

1. to happen to, especially by chance or fate.

befall British  

/ bɪˈfɔːl /

verb

1. (intr) to take place; come to pass

2. (tr) to happen to

3. to be due, as by right

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Etymology

Origin of befall

before 900; Middle English befallen, Old English befeallan. See be-, fall (v.)

Example Sentences

The children, still arguing, were unaware what horror would soon befall them.

From Literature

There are allusions to the tragedies that befell him: the loss of a young daughter to measles encephalitis and his son’s near-fatal accident.

From The Wall Street Journal

A spate of fires and disasters has befallen the city's historic architecture over the years, raising questions about whether these are freak accidents or a symptom of wider issues.

From BBC

For someone who wept at seeing the modern Tatars enter Baghdad, the prospect of a similar fate befalling Tehran is more than a strategic policy shift.

From Salon

Sanctions didn’t make life easier, he says, but they didn’t befall Iran.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• ensue
• materialize
• transpire