happer

Meaning

1. to snatch by the mouth, to snap up (typically of animals)
2. to grab, to seize
3. (colloquial) to strike forcefully
4. (colloquial) to catch off guard; take by surprise

Concepts

grab

snatch

seize

snap

snap up

grab suddenly

Pronounced as (IPA)

/a.pe/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French happer, haper, from Old French happer, haper (“to seize, snap up”), of obscure origin. Possibly onomatopoeic. Alternatively, of Germanic origin, either from Proto-West Germanic *happā (“hook, clasp”), or related to Middle Dutch happen (“to snap, bite”) (whence modern Dutch happen), Middle Dutch haperen (“to stammer, quarrel”) (whence modern Dutch haperen), German Low German happen (“to snatch something up, grab”), German Happen (“morsel, snack”).