happen/ˋhæpən; ˈhæpən/v [I]1 when something happens, there is an event, especially one that is not planned〔尤指意外地〕发生: When did the accident happen? 这事故是什么时候发生的?Did anything exciting happen while I was away? 我不在时发生什么有趣的事情吗?We waited for half an hour, but nothing happened . 我们等了半个小时﹐但什么也没有发生。Something terrible has happened . 可怕的事情发生了。THESAURUS 同类词Happen is mainly used to talk about things that have not been planned ☆ happen 主要用于指未经计划之事的发生: A funny thing happened on my way to work. 在我上班的路上发生了一件趣事。No one knows exactly what will happen. 没有人确切知道将会发生什么。Take place is mainly used to talk about events that have been planned or that have already happened ☆ take place 主要用于指事情经过计划后而发生﹐或指事情已经发生: The next meeting will take place on Thursday. 下次会议将在周四召开。Occur is a formal word, used especially to say that something happens in a particular place or situation ☆ occur 为正式用语﹐尤用于表示某事在某地或某一情形下发生: The accident occurred around 9 pm. 事故发生在晚上 9 点左右。2 happen to sb/sth to affect someone or something 某人/某物发生〔什么事情〕: Strange things have been happening to me lately. 我最近一直在遇到怪事。He should be here by now – something must have happened to him. 他现在应该到了的—一定是发生了什么事情。3 happen to do sth to do something by chance 碰巧做某事: I happened to see Hannah at the store today. 今天我在商店里碰到了汉娜。4 as it happens/it (just) so happens used to tell someone something that is surprising, interesting, or useful 碰巧﹐正巧〔用于告诉某人惊讶﹑有趣或有用的事〕: It just so happened that Mike and I had been to the same school. 真是很巧﹐我和迈克以前上的是同一所学校。happen on/upon sb/sthphr v literary to find something or meet someone by chance【文】偶然碰上﹔偶然看到: I happened on the restaurant by chance. 我偶然发现了这家餐厅。