chance Hear it!

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chance definition

chance (c̸hans, c̸häns)

noun

  1. the happening of events without apparent cause, or the apparent absence of cause or design; fortuity; luck to leave things to chance
  2. an unpredictable event or accidental happening
  3. a risk or gamble
  4. a ticket in a lottery or raffle
  5. an advantageous or opportune time or occasion; opportunity you'll have a chance to go
  6. a possibility or probability there is little chance of success; what are their chances of winning?
  7. Archaic a mishap; mischance
  8. ☆ Baseball an opportunity to field a ball on which a fielder is credited with a putout or assist, or charged with an error

Etymology: ME chaunce < OFr cheance < VL cadentia, that which falls out < L cadens, prp. of cadere, to fall: see case

adjective

happening by chance; accidental a chance encounter

intransitive verb chanced, chancing chanc′·ing

  1. to have the fortune, good or bad I chanced to see them
  2. to happen by chance

transitive verb

to leave to chance; risk let's chance it
chance Idioms

by chance

  1. as it may happen; perchance
  2. accidentally

chance on

or chance upon
to find or meet by chance

(the) chances are

the likelihood is chances are she will visit today

on the (off) chance

relying on the (remote) possibility; in case

take one's chances

Informal to accept the uncertain outcome as of a course of action

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms chance idiom

chance Synonyms

chance

modif.

accidental, unplanned, unintentional, random; see accidental 1, aimless, haphazard, random. See syn. study at random.


chance

n.

  1. The powers of uncertainty

    fate, fortune, fortuity, hazard, lot, accident, luck, good luck, bad luck, destiny, outcome, cast, lottery, gamble, hap, adventure, contingency, coincidence, serendipity, randomness, blind chance, kismet, happening, future, doom, occurrence, happenstance*, the breaks*, hit*, Lady Luck*, Dame Fortune*, turn of the cards*, the way the cookie crumbles*, hazard of the dice*, luck of the draw*, heads or tails*; see also accident 2.

    Antonyms aim, purpose*, design. *

  2. A possibility

    opening, occasion, prospect, turn; see opportunity 1, possibility 2, timeliness.

  3. An uncertainty

    venture, gamble, speculation; see bet, risk 2, uncertainty 3.

  4. Probability; often plural

    likelihood, possibility, odds, indications; see probability.

by chance

by accident, as it happens, unexpectedly; see accidentally.

on the (off) chance

in case, in the event that, supposing; see if.


chance

v.

  1. To happen

    come to pass, befall, occur; see happen 2.

  2. To take a chance

    venture, stake, hazard, risk, wager, gamble, try, attempt, jeopardize, speculate, tempt fate, tempt fortune, trust to chance, trust to luck, run the risk, try one's luck, play with fire*, take a shot in the dark*, take a leap in the dark*, buy a pig in a poke*, go out on a limb*, chance one's luck*, chance it*, have a fling at*, take a fling at*, put all one's eggs in one basket*, skate on thin ice*, stick one's neck out*; see also gamble 1, risk. See syn. study at happen.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

chance Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • stand: Only a gambler like Blair could stand a chance of winning " .

Adjective modifier

  • good: The longer parents are here the better chance they have of being allowed to stay.

Modifies a noun

  • saloon: Nirah in Bedfordshire is drinking at the last chance saloon.

Noun used with modifier

  • cent: Any child born to someone affected by FAP has a fifty per cent chance of inheriting the condition.

Preposition: of

  • survival: The groundbreaking study will track the young seal Morocco's chances of survival in the critical first few months back in the wild.

Preposition: for

  • revenge: She knows that the narrator does not really like her, and this is a chance for revenge.
chance usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

chance quotes

No girls, no legs, no jokes, no chance.

-Anonymous

Yet they, believe me, who await No gifts from chance, have conquered fate.

-Arnold, Matthew

Happiness in marriage is entirely a matter of chance.

-Austen,Jane

chance quotes (more)

Webster's New World Dictionary of Quotations Copyright © 2005 by Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved. Published by Wiley, Hoboken, NJ. Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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MLA Style

"chance." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 4 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/chance>

APA Style

chance. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 4th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/chance

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