Emily Dickinson Lexicon

HAP'PEN, v.i. [hap'n; W. hapiaw, to happen, to have luck. See Hap. Sw. häpna, to be surprised or amazed.]

1. To come by chance; to come without one's previous expectation; to fall out. There shall no evil happen to the just. Prov. xii.
2. To come; to befall. They talked together of all those things which had happened. Luke xxiv.
3. To light; to fall or come unexpectedly. I have happened on some other accounts relating to mortalities. Graunt.