1 chance
Pronounced:
/ˈtʃæns, Brit ˈtʃɑ:ns/
Function:
nounInflected forms:
plural chanc·esMeaning:
1 : an opportunity to do something : an amount of time or a situation in which something can be done [count] ▪ I wanted to call you, but I never got/had the chance (to). ▪ I go to the beach every chance I get. [=I go whenever I can] ▪ This is the chance of a lifetime! ▪ You missed your chance. ▪ Everyone deserves a fair chance of winning the award. ▪ If you give me a chance, I know I can do a good job. ▪ He doesn't give second chances. [=opportunities to try something again after failing one time] ▪ If given half a chance [=if given some opportunity], she could show everyone how talented she is. —often followed by to + verb ▪ Here's your chance to try something new. ▪ Give me a chance to explain. ▪ You have to give the wound a chance to heal. [=you have to allow time for the wound to heal] [noncount] ▪ We didn't have much chance to talk about it. ◊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. ▪ She jumped at the chance to go to New York City. ◊If you have a fighting chance to do something, you may be able to do it by making a great effort. ▪ The patient still has a fighting chance to survive. ▪ Their help gave us a fighting chance to finish the project on time.
2 : the possibility that something will happen [count] ▪ There's a good chance that we'll finish on time. ▪ There's still a slim chance [=a small possibility] that we can win. ▪ There's an outside chance [=a small possibility] that something could go wrong. ▪ Chances are [=it is very likely that] she has already heard the news. —often + of ▪ It increases/reduces the chance of getting the disease. ▪ There's a 50 percent chance of rain this afternoon. ▪ (Brit, informal) The challenger may not have much experience, but I still think he's in with a chance of winning. [=he has a possibility of winning] —often plural ▪ What are the chances [=how likely is it] that we'll have nice weather today? ▪ I think her chances of winning the election are good. ▪ “How do you think the team will do this year?” “I like their chances.” [=I think they have a good chance of succeeding/winning] [noncount] ▪ If you are free tonight, is there any chance you could join me for dinner? —often + of ▪ If you want to have any chance of getting the job, you'll have to dress nicely. ▪ The prisoners had little/no chance of escape/escaping. ◊The phrase by any chance is used when asking questions in a polite way. ▪ Are you free tonight, by any chance? ◊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. ▪ “He says that he'll get here on time.” “Fat chance!” ▪ “Do you think they'll win?” “Not a chance!” ▪ Fat chance of that happening!
3 [noncount] : the way that events happen when they are not planned or controlled by people : luck ▪ There is an element of chance [=luck] to winning a card game. ▪ Which cards you're given is simply a matter of chance. ▪ We planned for everything and left nothing to chance. [=we prepared for everything possible] ▪ That's not the kind of thing you want to leave to chance. [=that's not the kind of thing you don't want to plan or prepare for] ◊If something happens by chance, people have not planned it or tried to make it happen. ▪ By (pure/sheer) chance, I saw him again at the grocery store. ▪ We found the house entirely by chance. ◊The phrase as chance would have it is used to say that something happened because of good or bad luck. ▪ Our car broke down on the road, but as chance would have it [=as it turned out], there was a garage nearby. ◊A game of chance is a game (such as a dice game) in which luck rather than skill decides who wins. ▪ Games of chance are illegal in some states.
2 : the possibility that something will happen [count] ▪ There's a good chance that we'll finish on time. ▪ There's still a slim chance [=a small possibility] that we can win. ▪ There's an outside chance [=a small possibility] that something could go wrong. ▪ Chances are [=it is very likely that] she has already heard the news. —often + of ▪ It increases/reduces the chance of getting the disease. ▪ There's a 50 percent chance of rain this afternoon. ▪ (Brit, informal) The challenger may not have much experience, but I still think he's in with a chance of winning. [=he has a possibility of winning] —often plural ▪ What are the chances [=how likely is it] that we'll have nice weather today? ▪ I think her chances of winning the election are good. ▪ “How do you think the team will do this year?” “I like their chances.” [=I think they have a good chance of succeeding/winning] [noncount] ▪ If you are free tonight, is there any chance you could join me for dinner? —often + of ▪ If you want to have any chance of getting the job, you'll have to dress nicely. ▪ The prisoners had little/no chance of escape/escaping. ◊The phrase by any chance is used when asking questions in a polite way. ▪ Are you free tonight, by any chance? ◊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. ▪ “He says that he'll get here on time.” “Fat chance!” ▪ “Do you think they'll win?” “Not a chance!” ▪ Fat chance of that happening!
3 [noncount] : the way that events happen when they are not planned or controlled by people : luck ▪ There is an element of chance [=luck] to winning a card game. ▪ Which cards you're given is simply a matter of chance. ▪ We planned for everything and left nothing to chance. [=we prepared for everything possible] ▪ That's not the kind of thing you want to leave to chance. [=that's not the kind of thing you don't want to plan or prepare for] ◊If something happens by chance, people have not planned it or tried to make it happen. ▪ By (pure/sheer) chance, I saw him again at the grocery store. ▪ We found the house entirely by chance. ◊The phrase as chance would have it is used to say that something happened because of good or bad luck. ▪ Our car broke down on the road, but as chance would have it [=as it turned out], there was a garage nearby. ◊A game of chance is a game (such as a dice game) in which luck rather than skill decides who wins. ▪ Games of chance are illegal in some states.
chance would be a fine thing
Brit informal —used to say that something good or desirable is not likely to happen ▪ This candidate promises to solve all the country's financial problems in six months. Chance would be a fine thing! [=if only that were possible]
on the off chance
—used to talk about something that might happen or be true but that is not likely ▪ I called his office on the off chance that he would still be there [=I called because I thought there was a slight chance that he would still be there], but he had already left.
stand a chance
: to have a possibility of succeeding ▪ The team stands a chance of doing well this year. ▪ I think she stands a good chance of winning the election. —often used in negative statements ▪ He doesn't stand a chance against the champion. ▪ She stands no chance of winning. [=she has no chance of winning]
take a chance
: to do something that could have either good or bad results ▪ She's trying to find a publisher who will take a chance on her book. [=will publish her book without knowing for certain that it will succeed] ▪ It might not work, but it's a chance we'll have to take. ▪ I'm not willing to take that chance. ▪ He said he couldn't afford to take any chances. ▪ He's not afraid to take chances. [=to do things that are risky or dangerous] ▪ She was taking no chances. = She wasn't taking any chances. ▪ “You might not succeed.” “I know, but I'll take my chances anyway.”