happer

French

Etymology

Inherited from Old French happer, ultimately onomatopoeic. Words of similar form and meaning are found in nearby Germanic languages but are of later attestation: Dutch happen, German Happen.

Pronunciation

  • (aspirated h) IPA(key): /a.pe/
  • (file)

Verb

happer (transitive)

  1. to snatch by the mouth, to snap up (typically of animals)
    On lui jeta un os, et il le happa.They threw it a bone, and it snapped it up.
  2. (figurative) to grab, to seize
  3. (colloquial) to strike forcefully
    Il a été happé par une automobile et tué sur le coup.He was hit by a car and killed on the spot.
  4. (colloquial) to catch off guard; take by surprise

Conjugation

Further reading

Norman

Etymology

Borrowed from Old Norse harpa (to grip, pinch).

Pronunciation

  • (file)

Verb

happer (gerund happ'thie)

  1. (Jersey) to catch

Antonyms

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