occur
[uh-kur]
- to happen; take place; come to pass: When did the accident occur?
- to be met with or found; present itself; appear.
- to suggest itself in thought; come to mind (usually followed by to): An idea occurred to me.
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Origin of occur
Synonyms
See more synonyms for occur on Thesaurus.comDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for occurred
Contemporary Examples
We can construct excuses based on the evil that occurred September 11th.
The most violent offense committed by Wahlberg occurred on the night of April 8, 1988.
Mark Wahlberg’s Pardon Plea: A Look Back At His Troubling, Violent, and Racist Rap SheetMarlow Stern
December 7, 2014
As I talked with her, it occurred to me that my election was about much more than me.
It took me a few days but I eventually told him what had occurred.
Tellingly, but not coincidentally, the greatest expansion of Medicaid has occurred in Deep Blue America.
Historical Examples
The voyage was more than half completed, and nothing of importance had occurred to mark it.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
It occurred to him that he could sell them at a market store in the village.
Brave and BoldHoratio Alger
As these occurred, a rustling and a murmur expressed the subdued applause.
A sudden memory of words that Viviette had used the day before occurred to him.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
Do not say a word to anybody about what has occurred to-night.
Life in LondonEdwin Hodder
occur
- to happen; take place; come about
- to be found or be present; exist
- (foll by to) to be realized or thought of (by); suggest itself (to)
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Word Origin
C16: from Latin occurrere to run up to, from ob- to + currere to run
usage
It is usually regarded as incorrect to talk of pre-arranged events occurring or happening : the wedding took place (not occurred or happened) in the afternoon
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 occurred
occur
v.
1520s, "meet, meet in argument," from Middle French occurrer "happen unexpectedly" or directly from Latin occurrere "run to meet, run against, befall, present itself," from ob "against, toward" (see ob-) + currere "to run" (see current (adj.)). Sense development is from "meet" to "present itself" to "appear" to "happen" ("present itself in the course of events"). Meaning "to come into one's mind" is from 1620s. Related: Occurred; occurring.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper