Happening to someone; occurring as an event or circumstance that affects a person.
Present participle of 'befall' (Middle English 'bifallen,' from 'be-' prefix meaning 'around' and 'fallen' meaning 'to fall'). The prefix 'be-' intensifies or indicates involvement, while 'fall' originally meant an event happening to someone.
Befall is beautifully archaic—it treats life events as things that 'fall' upon us, suggesting fate or circumstance beyond our control, which is why it appears so often in literature when describing misfortune or dramatic plot turns.
Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.