- occur
- 1527, "meet, meet in argument," from M.Fr. occurrer, from L. occurrere "run to meet, run against, befall, present itself," from ob "against, toward" + currere "to run" (see current). Sense development is from "meet" to "present itself" to "appear" to "happen" ("present itself in the course of events"). Meaning "to come into one's mind" is from 1626.