I. ˈhap noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English hap, happe, from Old Norse happ good luck; akin to Old English gehæp suitable, Swedish dialect happa ( sig ) to take place, Norwegian heppa to take place, Old Irish cob victory, Old Slavic kobĭ augury
1. : something that happens or befalls without plan, apparent cause, or predictability
odd little haps and mishaps of domestic life
2. : a force which shapes events unpredictably : chance , luck , fortune
by some bad tide or hap … the ill-made catamaran was overset — Herman Melville
the fish of evil hap … had been caught and frozen fast — Llewelyn Powys
Synonyms: see chance
II. intransitive verb
( happed ; happed ; happing ; haps )
Etymology: Middle English happen, from hap, happe, n.
1. : to have the fortune : happen , chance
what's to be done, if a man haps to go wrong
if hap it must, that I must see thee lie — Robert Herrick †1674
2. : to come by chance : light — used with on or upon
happed upon the very book he was looking for
III. transitive verb
( happed ; happed ; happing ; haps )
Etymology: Middle English happen
dialect : to wrap up for warmth : clothe , cover
at the kitchen fire, happed in an old overcoat — Michael Murphy
IV. noun
( -s )
dialect : something that serves as a covering or wrap (as a bed quilt or cloak)