An Encylopedia Britannica Company

chance

1 chance /ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/ noun
plural chances
1 chance
/ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/
noun
plural chances
Britannica Dictionary definition of CHANCE
: an opportunity to do something : an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done
[count]
often followed by to + verb
[noncount]
◊ To jump/leap/grab at the chance to do something is to have an opportunity to do something and to say in an excited way that you will do it or to do it in a very eager way.
◊ If you have a fighting chance to do something, you may be able to do it by making a great effort.
: the possibility that something will happen
[count]
often + of
often plural
[noncount]
often + of
◊ The phrase by any chance is used when asking questions in a polite way.
◊ The informal phrases fat chance and not a chance are used as a forceful way of saying that there is no possibility that something will happen.
[noncount] : the way that events happen when they are not planned or controlled by people : luck
◊ If something happens by chance, people have not planned it or tried to make it happen.
◊ The phrase as chance would have it is used to say that something happened because of good or bad luck.
◊ A game of chance is a game (such as a dice game) in which luck rather than skill decides who wins.

chance would be a fine thing

British, informal
used to say that something good or desirable is not likely to happen

on the off chance

used to talk about something that might happen or be true but that is not likely

stand a chance

: to have a possibility of succeeding
often used in negative statements

take a chance

: to do something that could have either good or bad results
2 chance /ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/ verb
chances; chanced; chancing
2 chance
/ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/
verb
chances; chanced; chancing
Britannica Dictionary definition of CHANCE
[+ object] : to accept the danger of (doing something) : risk
[no object] formal used to describe something that happens because of luck or chance followed by to + verb

chance upon

[phrasal verb] also chance on
chance upon/on (someone or something) formal
: to find (something) or meet (someone) by chance

chance your arm

British, informal
: to take a chance : to do something that could have bad results
3 chance /ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/ adjective
3 chance
/ˈtʃæns/ Brit /ˈtʃɑːns/
adjective
Britannica Dictionary definition of CHANCE
always used before a noun
: happening without being planned or controlled by people : happening by chance