Definition: occur

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Source: WordNet (r) 1.7 

occur
     v 1: come to pass; "What is happening?"; "The meeting took place
          off without an incidence"; "Nothing occurred that seemed
          important" [syn: happen, hap, go on, pass off, pass,
           come about, take place]
     2: come to one's mind; suggest itself; "It occurred to me that
        we should hire another secretary"; "A great idea then came
        to her" [syn: come]
     3: to be found to exist; "sexism occurs in many workplaces";
        "precious stones occur in a large area in Brazil"

Source: Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) 

Occur \Oc*cur"\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Occurred; p. pr. & vb. n.
   Occurring.] [L. occurrere, occursum; ob (see Ob-) +
   currere to run. See Course.]
   1. To meet; to clash. [Obs.]

            The resistance of the bodies they occur with.
                                                  --Bentley.

   2. To go in order to meet; to make reply. [Obs.]

            I must occur to one specious objection. --Bentley.

   3. To meet one's eye; to be found or met with; to present
      itself; to offer; to appear; to happen; to take place; as,
      I will write if opportunity occurs.

            In Scripture, though the word heir occur, yet there
            is no such thing as ``heir'' in our author's sense.
                                                  --Locke.

   4. To meet or come to the mind; to suggest itself; to be
      presented to the imagination or memory.

            There doth not occur to me any use of this
            experiment for profit.                --Bacon.