hap

Meaning

Noun

1. (slang) Happenings; events; goings-on.
2. That which happens; an occurrence or happening, especially an unexpected, random, chance, or fortuitous event; chance; fortune; luck.

Verb

1. To happen; to befall; to chance.
2. To happen to.

Verb

To wrap, clothe.

Synonyms

happen

come about

go on

fall out

occur

pass off

transpire

pass

betide

chance

🎲

take place

be

fortune

luck

🍀

occurrence

peradventure

random

set in

suitable

turn

accident

turn up

bechance

become

befall

come

come into being

destiny

fortuity

get

give

haphazard

happening

hazard

Pronounced as (IPA)

/hæp/

Etymology

From Middle English hap, happe (“chance, hap, luck, fortune”), potentially cognate with or from Old English ġehæp (“fit, convenient”) and/or Old Norse happ (“hap, chance, good luck”), from Proto-Germanic *hampą (“convenience, happiness”), from Proto-Indo-European *kob- (“good fortune, prophecy; to bend, bow, fit in, work, succeed”).
Cognate with Icelandic happ (“hap, chance, good luck”). Related also to Icelandic heppinn (“lucky, fortunate, happy”), Old Danish hap (“fortunate”), Swedish hampa (“to turn out”), Old Church Slavonic кобь (kobĭ, “fate”), Old Irish cob (“victory”).
The verb is from Middle English happen, perhaps from Old English hæppan (“to move accidentally, slip”) and/or from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną (“to fit in, be fitting”), from the noun. Cognate with Old Danish happe (“to chance, happen”), Norwegian heppa (“to occur, happen”).