verb
find unexpectedly (Freq. 1)
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the archeologists chanced upon an old tomb
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she struck a goldmine
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The hikers finally struck the main path to the lake
• Syn:
↑fall upon, ↑strike, ↑come upon, ↑light upon, ↑chance upon, ↑come across, ↑chance on, ↑attain, ↑discover
• Verb Frames:
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Somebody ——s something
* * *
ˈhappen ˌon ˈhappen u ˌpon [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they happen on he/she/it happens on present participle happening on past tense happened on past participle happened on] old-fashioned phrasal verb
to meet someone or to find something without planning to
Main entry: happen
Useful english dictionary. 2012.