befall
C1Literary, formal
Definition
Meaning
To happen to someone, especially something bad or unlucky.
To occur or take place, often with a sense of fate or destiny, typically applied to negative events but can also be used neutrally in literary contexts.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Befall is a transitive verb that requires a human or animate subject as the recipient of the event (e.g., 'A tragedy befell him'). It implies lack of control and often an element of misfortune. It is used in the third person and most commonly in the past tense.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in British literary and formal contexts, but rare in both dialects.
Connotations
Both share connotations of fate, misfortune, and formality.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday speech in both regions. More likely to be encountered in literature, historical texts, or formal reports.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
Something befalls somebodyWhat befell him was...If any harm should befall youVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Woe betide (related archaic construction)”
- “What fate befell them?”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possible in formal risk assessments: 'Should any regulatory action befall the company...'
Academic
Used in historical or literary analysis: 'The catastrophe that befell the Roman Empire.'
Everyday
Virtually never used in casual conversation.
Technical
Not used in technical registers.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- A strange silence befell the gathering.
- They feared what might befall them in the forest.
- A similar fate befell her predecessor.
American English
- No one predicted the scandal that would befall the campaign.
- We must prepare for whatever disaster may befall us.
- A great misfortune befell the family last winter.
adverb
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A
American English
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- N/A
- N/A
- A terrible accident befell the climbers on the mountain.
- He wondered what would befall him in the new country.
- The political upheaval that befell the nation was entirely unforeseen.
- Historians still debate the series of events that befell the expedition.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a large, heavy FALLing object that BE-gins to hit someone – a misfortune BEFALLS them.
Conceptual Metaphor
MISFORTUNE IS AN AGENT THAT DESCENDS UPON SOMEONE (from above).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct translation of случаться (to happen) as 'befall' in normal speech; it is far too formal. Do not confuse with 'befallen' (past participle) and 'бывший' (former).
Common Mistakes
- Using it with an inanimate subject (e.g., 'Rain befell the city' – unnatural). Using it in active first person ('I befell an accident' – incorrect). Confusing tense: 'It befalls yesterday' (correct: 'It befell yesterday').
Practice
Quiz
In which sentence is 'befall' used CORRECTLY?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Primarily yes, but in very literary contexts, it can be used neutrally (e.g., 'A great peace befell the land'). However, negative connotations are dominant.
It's grammatically possible but very rare. It is most commonly found in the past tense ('befell') or in hypothetical/conditional constructions using 'may', 'might', 'should' (e.g., 'lest danger befall you').
'Befall' is formal, literary, and implies a certain gravity or fatefulness. 'Happen to' is neutral and used in all everyday contexts.
Yes, the past tense is 'befell' and the past participle is 'befallen'. The word itself is archaic-sounding, which is why its forms also sound old-fashioned.
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