befall

CEFRC2

/bɪˈfɔːl/

verb

Türkçe translations

Translating…

In plain English

  1. 01

    verb

    happen, occur, or be the case in the course of events or by chance; ; (Santayana).

  2. 02

    verb

    Extra detail

    To happen to.

Examples

  • Protesters Sunday expressed some worry the same fate will befall the new wave of demonstrations.

  • No harm shall befall thee.

At a glance

Sits at C2 on the CEFR scale

Senses
5
Parts of speech
1
Citations
5
Synonyms
3

Deep Dive

verb

Extra meanings

  1. To happen.

  2. To fall upon; fall all over; overtake.

  3. To fall.

More examples

In context

  • At dusk an unusual calm befalls the wetlands.

  • With a thought I tooke for Maudline & a cruse of cockle pottage. with a thing thus tall, skie blesse you all: I befell into this dotage.

  • Temptation befell me.

Synonyms

Quick test

Two questions on this entry. Nothing is scored.

Question 1 · Quick check

A terrible disaster might blank the village if the dam breaks.

Practise this properly in the app, where the word comes back before you forget it.

Nearby

Origin

verb

From Middle English bifallen, from Old English befeallan, from Proto-West Germanic *bifallan, from Proto-Germanic *bifallaną; equivalent to be- + fall.