/ bɪˈfɔːl; NAmE / verb
( be·fell / bɪˈfel; NAmE /, be·fallen / bɪˈfɔːlən; NAmE /) [ vn ] (used only in the third person) ( literary ) ( of sth unpleasant ) to happen to sb :
They were unaware of the fate that was to befall them.
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English befeallan to fall (early use being mainly figurative); related to German befallen .