happen (redirected from happened)

*in the (very) nick of time

Fig. just in time; at the last possible instant; just before it's too late. (*Typically: arrive ~; get there ~; happen ~; reach something ~; Save someone ~.) The doctor arrived in the nick of time. The patient's life was saved. I reached the airport in the very nick of time and made my flight.

See also: nick, time

Accidents will happen.

Prov. It is impossible to completely prevent things from going wrong. (Often used to console someone who has made a mistake or caused an accident.) Child: Mommy, I spilled grape juice all over the carpet! Mother: Don't cry, honey. Accidents will happen. Jill: I'm so embarrassed. I was just tapping on your window to wake you up. I didn't mean to break it. Jane: Accidents will happen.

See also: Accident

happen (up)on someone or something

to come upon someone or something, as if by accident. (See also come (up)on someone or something.) I just happened upon a strange little man in the street who offered to sell me a watch. Andrew happened on a book that interested him, so he bought it.

happen to someone or something

to befall someone or something; to occur to someone or something. What is going to happen to me? Something awful happened to your car.

if anything should happen and if anything happens

Euph. If a disaster or emergency happens. I'll give you the phone number of my hotel, so that you can reach me if anything happens. If anything should happen, I want you to look after my children.

See also: anything, if, should

in the unlikely event of something and in the unlikely event that something happens

if something—which probably will not happen—actually happens. In the unlikely event of my getting the job, I'll have to buy a car to get there every day. In the unlikely event of a fire, please walk quickly to an exit.

See also: event

minute something happens

the point in time at which an event happens. I'll be inside the minute it rains. Call me the minute you get to town.

See also: minute

shit happens

Sl. Bad things just happen and are unavoidable. (Potentially offensive. Use only with discretion.) Too bad that your new car got dented, but shit happens. Shit happens. There's nothing that can be done about it.

See also: shit

shouldn't happen to a dog

Fig. an expression of something that is so bad that no creature deserves it. Poor guy. That shouldn't happen to a dog. This cold I got shouldn't happen to a dog.

See also: dog, shouldn't

sit back and let something happen

Fig. to relax and not interfere with something; to let something happen without playing a part in it. I can't just sit back and let you waste all our money! Don't worry. Just sit back and let things take care of themselves.

See also: and, back, let, sit

unexpected always happens

Prov. The things you do not foresee will happen to you; when you plan, you cannot think of everything that might happen. It took us an hour to drive to the restaurant, and when we got there, it was closed. I would never have expected a restaurant to be closed on a Friday night, but the unexpected always happens. Especially to me.

See also: always

What happened?

What went wrong here? Bob (approaching a crowd): What happened? Tom (with Bob): What's wrong? Bystander: Just a little mix-up. A car wanted to drive on the sidewalk, that's all. There was a terrible noise, an explosion that shook the house. Bob looked at Jane and said, "What happened?"

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accidents will happen

something that you say in order to make someone feel less guilty when they have just damaged something that does not belong to them Oh well, accidents will happen. I can always buy another bowl.

See also: accident

an accident waiting to happen

a very dangerous situation in which an accident is very likely The speed that people drive along this road, it's an accident waiting to happen.

See also: accident, waiting

in the nick of time

at the last possible moment

Usage notes: A nick was a mark on a stick which was used in the past to measure time.

We got there just in the nick of time. A minute later and she'd have left.

See also: nick, time

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(just) in the nick of time

at the last possible moment A man walking his dog saw her fall into the river and pulled her out just in the nick of time.

See also: nick, time

it just so happens (that)

surprisingly It just so happens that my daughter lives in Mexico, and I do know a bit about the situation there.

Usage notes: said about an unexpected or unlikely fact

See also: just