Word a Day
befall
What does befall mean?
befall (verb): become of; happen to.
Definition: Princeton WordNet 3.1.
How do you use befall in a sentence?
- He promised that no harm would befall her. (Princeton WordNet 3.1)
How do you pronounce befall?
/bɪˈfɔl/ (IPA, American English). The app reads every word aloud.
Where does befall come from?
From Middle English bifallen, from Old English befeallan, from Proto-West Germanic *bifallan, from Proto-Germanic *bifallaną; equivalent to be- + fall.
Etymology: Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Test yourself: do you know “befall”?
Tap an answer to check it. The same questions the app asks.
What does “befall” mean?
to live or reside in
Not quite: that's what occupy means.
to do things quickly
Not quite: that's what hurry means.
emerge from the eggs
Not quite: that's what hatch means.
become of; happen to
Right! That's what “befall” means.
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