Etymology: Probably < early Scandinavian (compare Old Icelandic happ (neuter) chance, good luck, success (Icelandic happ), and Norwegian happ, Swedish regional happ, both masculine), cognate with Norwegian heppa to happen, Old Danish hap (adjective) lucky, Swedish hampa (reflexive) to happen (by chance), (regional) happa, habba to happen, succeed, Danish happe, and further with Old English gehæp (adjective) suitable, convenient, gehæplic (adjective) convenient, orderly, probably < the same Indo-European base as Early Irish cob victory (rare) and Old Church Slavonic kobĭ destiny.The explanation for the early Middle English form heppe (and similar forms shown by derivatives of this word) is not certain. Perhaps compare Old English gehæp (see above) or Old Icelandic heppinn (see happen adj.). For discussion of the Old English verbal form (past tense) hæpte , which perhaps represents a derivative from the same Germanic base, see hap v.¹

Etymology: < hap v.²

Etymology: Shortened < happening n.

Etymology: Probably < hap n.¹, although compare the verbs in the Scandinavian languages cited at that entry and see note below.It has been suggested that earlier currency of the verb is perhaps shown by the following isolated attestation of an Old English (late West Saxon) past tense singular hæpte , of uncertain sense, assuming it is to be taken as representing an otherwise unattested Class I weak verb Old English *hæppan in the sense ‘to go by chance, to move accidentally’ (compare sense 4). However the context, which refers to the miraculous disappearance of a sword, more specifically suggests a sense ‘to slip’ or ‘to jump’, and later use in sense 4 does not appear to show any clear parallels to this particular use or construction:OE Ælfric Lives of Saints (Julius) (1900) II. 250 Þa sloh sum hæþen man to þam halgan were, ac mid þam swenge hæpte þæt swurd him of handum.Even if the Old English verb indeed shows a derivative of the same Germanic base (which in Old English is otherwise only attested in a different sense: see hap n.¹), it remains uncertain whether there is any continuity with later Middle English use.

Etymology: Origin uncertain; it has been suggested that this word may represent an alteration of lap v.² after Anglo-Norman and Middle French happer hap v.³ (compare also verbs in Germanic languages cited at that entry), but this is difficult to substantiate. The regional distribution of this word has alternatively been taken to suggest a Scandinavian origin, although no likely etymon has been identified.

Etymology: Probably < Anglo-Norman and Middle French, French happer to grab, seize suddenly and forcibly (1193–7 as haper in Old French), (of an animal) to snap, bite (c1200), (of a mechanical device, trap, etc.) to snap shut on, catch, seize (something) (1275–80), in Anglo-Norman in legal use in senses ‘to take possession of, appropriate’ and ‘to arrest’ (both early 14th cent.), probably ultimately of imitative origin. Compare Dutch happen to seize, grasp (1588), to snap, bite, grab with the mouth (1618), German regional (Low German) happen to seize, Danish happe , hjappe to grab with the mouth, snap at, bite, seize, grab, stutter (c1700) and also earlier happer v.¹ and forms in Germanic languages cited at that entry. The precise relationship between the French and Germanic verbs is uncertain.

Etymology: Probably imitative of a call to attract attention; compare hup int., hup vb. at hup int. Derivatives, hut int., etc. Compare also gee int.¹