hap

Meanings

Noun

• Happenings; events; goings-on.
• That which happens; an occurrence or happening, especially an unexpected, random, chance, or fortuitous event; chance; fortune; luck.
• A wrap, such as a quilt or a comforter. Also, a small or folded blanket placed on the end of a bed to keep feet warm.
• Any of the cichlid fishes of the tribe Haplochromini (tribe).

Verb

• To happen; to befall; to chance.
• To happen to.
• To wrap, clothe.

Origin

• From Middle English hap, happe, from Old Norse happ, from Proto-Germanic *hampą, from Proto-Indo-European *kob-. Cognate with Icelandic happ. Related also to Icelandic heppinn, Old Danish hap, Old English ġehæp, Swedish hampa, Old Church Slavonic кобь, Old Irish cob.
• The verb is from Middle English happen, from Old Norse *happa, *heppa, from Proto-Germanic *hampijaną ("to fit in, be fitting"), from the noun. Cognate with Old Danish happe ("to chance, happen"), Norwegian heppa ("to occur, happen").
• From Old English hap.
• Shortening of Haplochromis (genus)