Definition of 'occur'
Word forms: 3rd person singular present
tense occurs
, present participle occurring
, past tense, past participle occurred
1. verb
When something occurs, it happens.
If headaches only occur at night, lack of fresh air and oxygen is often the cause. [VERB]
The crash occurred when the crew shut down the wrong engine. [VERB]
In March 1770, there occurred what became known as the Boston Massacre.
2. verb
When something occurs in a particular place, it exists or is present there.
The cattle disease occurs more or less anywhere in Africa where the fly occurs. [VERB adverb/preposition]
These snails do not occur on low-lying coral islands or atolls. [VERB adverb/preposition]
3. verb [no passive, no cont]
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of 'occur'
verb -curs, -curring or -curred (intransitive)
▶ USAGE It is usually regarded as incorrect to talk of pre-arranged events occurring or happening: the wedding took place (not occurred or happened) in the afternoonCollins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin of 'occur'
verb intransitiveWord forms: ocˈcurred or ocˈcurring
1.
to be found; exist
fish occur in most waters
3.
to take place; happen
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈhappen
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Example sentences containing 'occur'
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content.
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Repeat this for each radiator but air pockets often occur in only one or two radiators. The Sun (2010)This new technology means these can be detected in time to stop the disease occurring. The Sun (2012)That seemed odd until the thought occurred that maybe it was a ploy. Times, Sunday Times (2009)The look they seek does not occur anywhere in nature. Times, Sunday Times (2013)Two incidents occurred that night that are important to record. STUART: A Life Backwards (2005)The crash occurred on a straight section of road. Times, Sunday Times (2013)Suddenly a new thought occurred to me. Times, Sunday Times (2007)Injuries often occur because the muscles surrounding the spine are too weak to support it. BE YOUR BEST: How Anyone can become Fit, Healthy and Confident (2002)Keep an eye out for rust which is an airborne fungal disease that occurs during damp and warm periods. Times, Sunday Times (2013)But freak weather does occur, and less often here than in some countries. Times, Sunday Times (2008)He paused for a moment, as if a new thought had suddenly occurred to him. Times, Sunday Times (2012)
Trends of 'occur'
Extremely Common. occur is one of the 1000 most commonly used words in the Collins dictionary
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Translations for 'occur'
British English: occur
/əˈkɜː/ VERB
When an event occurs, it happens.
The crash occurred on a bend in the road.
- American English: occur
- Arabic: يَقَعُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: ocorrer
- Chinese: 发生
- Croatian: dogoditi se
- Czech: nastat
- Danish: optræde
- Dutch: gebeuren
- European Spanish: ocurrir
- Finnish: tapahtua
- French: se produire
- German: geschehen
- Greek: συμβαίνω
- Italian: accadere
- Japanese: 起こる
- Korean: 발생하다
- Norwegian: inntreffe
- Polish: zdarzyć się
- European Portuguese: ocorrer
- Romanian: a se întâmpla
- Russian: случаться
- Spanish: ocurrir
- Swedish: inträffa
- Thai: เกิดขึ้น
- Turkish: olmak
- Ukrainian: траплятися
- Vietnamese: xảy ra
Nearby words of 'occur'
Related Terms of 'occur'
Source
Definition of occur from the
Collins English Dictionary
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