Nearby Words
noun
1.
the absence of any cause of events that can be predicted, understood, or controlled: often personified or treated as a positive agency: Chance governs all.
2.
luck or fortune: a game of chance.
3.
a possibility or probability of anything happening: a fifty-percent chance of success.
4.
an opportune or favorable time; opportunity: Now is your chance.
5.
EXPANDBaseball. an opportunity to field the ball and make a put-out or assist.
6.
a risk or hazard: Take a chance.
7.
a share or ticket in a lottery or prize drawing: The charity is selling chances for a dollar each.
8.
chances, probability: The chances are that the train hasn't left yet.
9.
Midland and Southern U.S. a quantity or number (usually followed by of).
10.
COLLAPSEArchaic. an unfortunate event; mishap.
verb (used without object)
11.
to happen or occur by chance: It chanced that our arrivals coincided.
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Chances
is always a great word to know.
So is callithumpian. Does it mean:
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
| a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare. |
verb (used with object)
12.
to take the chances or risks of; risk (often followed by impersonal it): I'll have to chance it, whatever the outcome.
adjective
Verb phrase13.
not planned or expected; accidental: a chance occurrence.
14.
Idiomschance on/upon, to come upon by chance; meet unexpectedly: She chanced on a rare kind of mushroom during her walk through the woods.
15.
by chance, without plan or intent; accidentally: I met her again by chance in a department store in Paris.
16.
on the chance, in the mild hope or against the possibility: I'll wait on the chance that she'll come.
17.
on the off chance, in the very slight hope or against the very slight possibility.
Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French chance, cheance < Vulgar Latin *cadentia a befalling, happening; see cadenza
1250–1300; Middle English < Old French chance, cheance < Vulgar Latin *cadentia a befalling, happening; see cadenza
Related forms
chance·less, adjective
un·chanced, adjective
Synonyms
2. accident, fortuity. 3. contingency. 4. opening. 11. befall. See happen. 13. casual, fortuitous.
2. accident, fortuity. 3. contingency. 4. opening. 11. befall. See happen. 13. casual, fortuitous.
Antonyms
1. necessity.
1. necessity.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
Cite This Source
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Link To chances
Etymonline
Word Origin & History
chance
c.1300, from O.Fr. cheance "accident, the falling of dice," from V.L. cadentia "that which falls out," from L. cadentem (nom. cadens), prp. of cadere "to fall" (see case (1)). Notions of "opportunity" and "randomness" are equally old in Eng. The verb meaning "to risk" is from 1859.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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