Wiktionary

chance

See also: Chance

English Edit

Alternative forms Edit

Pronunciation Edit

Etymology 1 Edit

From Middle English chance, cheance, chaunce, cheaunce, a borrowing from Old French cheance (“accident, chance, luck”), from Vulgar Latin *cadentia (“falling”), from Latin cadere (“to fall, to die, to happen, occur”). Doublet of cadence and cadenza.

Noun Edit

chance (countable and uncountable, plural chances)

  1. (countable) An opportunity or possibility.
    We had the chance to meet the president last week.
  2. (uncountable) Random occurrence; luck.
    Why leave it to chance when a few simple steps will secure the desired outcome?
  3. (countable) The probability of something happening.
    There is a 30 percent chance of rain tomorrow.
  4. (in plural as chances) probability; possibility.
    • 1908, Ernest Young, “Chapter 4 The children”, in Peeps at Many Lands: Siam, London: Adam and Charles Black, page 16:
      Sometimes the name is changed because it is thought to be unlucky. If "Chua" is ill, the chances are that there are certain spirits who do not like his name, so the parents alter his name to "Mee," or something else, and then he gets well again.
  5. (countable, archaic) What befalls or happens to a person; their lot or fate.
    • 1795, Robert Southey, The Soldier's Wife‎[3]:
      Wild-visag'd Wanderer! ah for thy heavy chance!
Synonyms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Terms derived from the noun chance
Descendants Edit
  • → Japanese: チャンス
Translations Edit
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

Adjective Edit

chance (not comparable)

  1. Happening by chance, casual.
Translations Edit

Adverb Edit

chance (not comparable)

  1. (obsolete) Perchance; perhaps.

Etymology 2 Edit

From Middle English chancen, chauncen, from the noun (see above).

Verb Edit

chance (third-person singular simple present chances, present participle chancing, simple past and past participle chanced)

  1. (archaic, intransitive) To happen by chance, to occur.
    It chanced that I found a solution the very next day.
  2. (archaic, transitive) To befall; to happen to.
    • 1826, William Lambarde, A Perambulation of Kent:
      […] while the King and Godwine sate at the table, accompanied with others of the nobilitie, it chanced the cupbearer (as he brought wine to the bourd) to slip with the one foote, and yet by good strength of his other leg, to recover himselfe without falling […]
  3. To try or risk.
    Shall we carry the umbrella, or chance a rainstorm?
    • 1890, William Dean Howells, A Hazard of New Fortunes:
      He does chance it in stocks, but he's always played on the square, if you call stocks gambling.
  4. To discover something by chance.
    He chanced upon a kindly stranger who showed him the way.
  5. (Belize) To rob, cheat or swindle someone.
    The car broke down a week after I bought it. I was chanced by that fast-talking salesman.
    • 2017 March 22, Jules Vasquez, “Shyne Urges Artists To Protest Against Businesses Countrywide”, in 7 News Belize‎[4]:
      Be prepared to engage in protests of all businesses nationwide who are violating the copyright act and chancing our members.
Synonyms Edit
Derived terms Edit
Translations Edit

References Edit

Anagrams Edit

Danish Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from French chance, from Vulgar Latin *cadentia (“falling”), from Latin cadō (“I fall, I die”).

Pronunciation Edit

IPA(key): [ˈɕɑŋsə]

Noun Edit

chance c (singular definite chancen, plural indefinite chancer)

  1. A chance

Antonyms Edit

French Edit

Etymology Edit

Inherited from Old French cheance (“accident, chance, luck”), from Vulgar Latin *cadentia (“falling”), from Latin cadēns, from cadō (“fall”). Doublet of cadence, a borrowing from Italian.

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

chance f (plural chances)

  1. chance
  2. luck

Antonyms Edit

Derived terms Edit

Related terms Edit

Descendants Edit

Descendants

Further reading Edit

Italian Edit

Alternative forms Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from French chance. Doublet of cadenza.

Pronunciation Edit

Noun Edit

chance f (invariable)

  1. chance (possibility of a certain outcome)

Middle English Edit

Noun Edit

chance

  1. Alternative form of chaunce

Old French Edit

Noun Edit

chance f (oblique plural chances, nominative singular chance, nominative plural chances)

  1. Alternative form of cheance

Portuguese Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from French chance.[1][2] Doublet of cadência.

Pronunciation Edit

 
 

  • Hyphenation: chan‧ce

Noun Edit

chance f (plural chances)

  1. probability
  2. chance, opportunity
    Synonym: oportunidade

References Edit

  1. ^ “chance” in Dicionário infopédia da Língua Portuguesa. Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2023.
  2. ^ “chance” in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa.

Spanish Edit

Etymology Edit

Borrowed from French chance or, in Mexico, from English chance. Doublet of cadencia.

Pronunciation Edit

  • IPA(key): (Spain) /ˈt͡ʃanθe/ [ˈt͡ʃãn̟.θe]
  • IPA(key): (Latin America) /ˈt͡ʃanse/ [ˈt͡ʃãn.se]
  • (Spain) Rhymes: -anθe
  • (Latin America) Rhymes: -anse
  • Syllabification: chan‧ce

Noun Edit

chance m or f same meaning (plural chances)

  1. chance

Conjunction Edit

chance

  1. (Mexico) maybe, perchance, perhaps or possibly
    Synonyms: a lo mejor, quizá, quizás, tal vez

Further reading Edit

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