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befall

[bih-fawl]
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verb (used without object), be·fell, be·fall·en, be·fall·ing.

to happen or occur.
Archaic. to come, as by right.

verb (used with object), be·fell, be·fall·en, be·fall·ing.

to happen to, especially by chance or fate.

RELATED WORDS

materialize, transpire, ensue, develop, shake, action, break, go, chance, cook, follow, smoke, fall, hap, betide, happen, jell, occur, supervene, bechance

Nearby words

  1. beeville,
  2. beevor's sign,
  3. beezer,
  4. bef,
  5. bef.,
  6. befit,
  7. befitting,
  8. befittingly,
  9. beflag,
  10. beflowered

Origin of befall

before 900; Middle English befallen, Old English befeallan. See be-, fall (v.)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for befell

British Dictionary definitions for befell

befall

verb -falls, -falling, -fell or -fallen archaic, or literary

(intr) to take place; come to pass
(tr) to happen to
(intr usually foll by to) to be due, as by right

Word Origin for befall

Old English befeallan; related to Old High German bifallan, Dutch bevallen; see be-, fall
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Word Origin and History for befell

befall

v.

Old English befeallan "to deprive of; fall to, be assigned to; befall," from be- "by, about" + feallan (see fall). Cf. Old Frisian bifalla, Old Saxon, Old High German bifallan, German befallen. Related: Befell; befalling.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper