occur
Formsoccurs, occurring, occurred
- 1To happen or arise, usually at a particular time or in particular circumstances.
Major floods occur here every few years.
The collision occurred at a busy intersection during rush hour.
UsageDouble the r in occurred and occurring (not
incorrect: occured), but not in occurs.Note
In English the word first meant to meet in argument, and only later settled into naming events. It came through French from a Latin verb meaning to run to meet, run against, or befall.
- 2To come or present itself to the mind as a thought or idea, often unbidden.
It never occurred to them that the door might be locked.
The idea will occur to you when you least expect it.
UsageUsually it occurs to someone that something is so, or to do something: it never occurred to me to ask.
- 3To be present or found in a particular place or environment.
Several rare elements occur naturally in seawater.
Several rare orchids occur only in this one mountain valley.
UsageMostly in scientific writing, often with in, throughout or naturally: occurs naturally in seawater.
Similarexist
Note
Scientists also use it for where something is found rather than for an event. A compound occurs in every part of a plant, a species occurs along a coast, an element occurs naturally in seawater. Read against the 'happen' meaning, a sentence like rare minerals occur here describes distribution, with no event in view.
Practice
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Origin
Latin combined the prefix 'ob-' ('against') with the verb 'currō' ('run, hurry, move') to make 'occurrō' ('run to meet, befall, present itself'); Middle French took it as 'occurrer', and English borrowed it from there with the early sense 'meet (in argument)'.