bechance

English

Etymology 1

From be- +‎ chance.

Verb

bechance (third-person singular simple present bechanc, present participle ing, simple past and past participle bechanced)

1. (intransitive) To happen; chance.
2. (transitive, archaic) To happen (to); befall to.
   • 1594, Shakespeare, The Rape of Lucrece:

     Disturb his hours of rest with restless trances,

     Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans;

     Let there bechance him pitiful mischances,

     To make him moan; but pity not his moans:

     Stone him with harden'd hearts, harder than stones

Synonyms

• (to happen) come to pass, occur, transpire; See also Thesaurus:happen
• (to happen to)

Etymology 2

From be- (“by”) +‎ chance.

Adverb

bechance (not comparable)

1. Accidentally; by chance.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Grafton to this entry?)