Definition of "befall" in English

verb

1. (transitive) To fall upon; fall all over; overtake.

   • At dusk an unusual calm befalls the wetlands.

2. (intransitive) To happen.

3. (transitive) To happen to.

   • Temptation befell me.

4. (intransitive, obsolete) To fall.

   • With a thought I tooke for Maudline & a cruse of cockle pottage. with a thing thus tall, skie blesse you all: I befell into this dotage.

noun

1. Case; instance; circumstance; event; incident; accident.

   • He said "I would advise people to cultivate frugal habits. I will not commit the crime of making them helpless by saying that they have no responsibility whatever in the befall of calamities like old age, illness, accident, etc. …"