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happen on/upon

phrasal verb

Definition of happen on/upon

literary + old-fashioned
: to find or meet (someone or something) by chance
  • She happened on a little cottage in the woods.
  • I happened upon them at the grocery store.

Word by Word Definitions

happen play

  1. : to occur by chance

  2. : to come into being or occur as an event, process, or result

  3. : to do, encounter, or attain something by or as if by chance

See the full definition of happen
upon play

  1. : on

  1. : on the surface : on it

  2. : thereafter, thereon

See the full definition of upon

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