noun
Meaning 1
Case; instance; circumstance; event; incident; accident.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
befall
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /bɪˈfɔːl/
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US: /bɪˈfɔl/
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US, cot-caught-merger: /bɪˈfɑl/
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US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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rhymes with -ɔːl
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CMU ARPABET: B IH0 F AO1 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
verb
Meaning 2
To fall upon; fall all over; overtake.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- At dusk an unusual calm befalls the wetlands.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 3
To happen.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 4
To happen to.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
Examples
- Temptation befell me.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To fall.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: intransitive, obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance (Santayana)
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- It happens that today is my birthday
- These things befell
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: happen, bechance
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place
verb
Meaning 7
become of; happen to
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- He promised that no harm would befall her
- What has become of my children?
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: bechance, betide
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: happen, hap, go on, pass off, occur, pass, fall out, come about, take place
History
Etymology
From Middle English bifallen, from Old English befeallan, from Proto-West Germanic *bifallan, from Proto-Germanic *bifallaną; equivalent to be- + fall.
Across languages
Translations
27 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Bulgarian: случвам се — happen to
- Bulgarian: сполитам (spolitam) — happen to
- Czech: postihnout — happen to
- Czech: potkat — happen to
- Dutch: overkomen — happen to
- German: befallen — happen to
- German: zustoßen — happen to
- German: hereinbrechen — happen to
- German: widerfahren — happen to
- German: überkommen — happen to
- German: ergreifen — happen to
- Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐌵𐌹𐌼𐌰𐌽 (biqiman) — happen to
- Ancient Greek: καταλαμβάνω (katalambánō) — happen to
- Hebrew: אֵרַע (erá') — happen to
- Indonesian: terjadi pada — happen to
- Latin: accido — happen to
- Latin: incidō — happen to
- Latin: cado — happen to
- Latin: ēveniō — happen to
- Macedonian: западне (zapadne) — happen to
- Middle English: bifallen — happen to
- Nepali: पर्नु (parnu) — happen to
- Old English: āgangan — happen to
- Russian: случаться (slučatʹsja) — happen to
- Spanish: acaecer a — happen to
- Swedish: vederfaras — happen to
- Telugu: మూడు (mūḍu) — happen to