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chance (up)on


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WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025
chance /tʃæns/USA pronunciation   n., v., chanced, chanc•ing, adj. 
n. 
  1. the part of an event that seems unpredictable;
    luck or fortune:[uncountable]Chance seems to have a lot to do with getting a job these days.
  2. a possibility or probability of anything happening;
    likelihood: [countable]Your chances of success improve the harder you work.[uncountable]not much chance of his changing his mind.
  3. chances, [plural] probability: The chances are that the train hasn't left yet.
  4. an opportunity:[countable]Now is your chance.
  5. [countable] a risk or hazard: He took an awfully big chance investing all that money.
  6. a ticket in a lottery or prize drawing:[countable]I bought five chances for a dollar each.

v. 
  1. [It + ~ + (that) clause] to happen accidentally or in an unplanned way: It chanced that our arrivals coincided.
  2. to do something accidentally:[~ + to + verb]I chanced to overhear their conversations.
  3. [~ + object* often: ~ + it] to take the chances or risks of;
    risk: I'll have to chance it, whatever the outcome.
  4. chance on or upon, [ ~ + on/upon + obj] to meet unexpectedly and accidentally:I chanced upon her at the party last night.

adj. [before a noun]
  1. not planned or expected;
    accidental: a chance occurrence.
Idioms
  1. by any chance, possibly:Do you think that by any chance you'd be free for dinner?
  2. Idioms by chance, unintentionally;
    accidentally:I met her by chance.
  3. Idioms on the (off ) chance, counting on the (slight) possibility:On the off chance that the painters are finished by tonight, you can sand the floors tomorrow.


WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025
chance  (chans, chäns),USA pronunciation n., v., chanced, chanc•ing, adj. 
n. 
  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. Sport[Baseball.]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. Dialect Terms[Midland and Southern U.S.]a quantity or number (usually fol. by of ).
  10. [Archaic.]an unfortunate event;
    mishap.
  11. Idioms by chance, without plan or intent;
    accidentally:I met her again by chance in a department store in Paris.
  12. Idioms on the chance, in the mild hope or against the possibility:I'll wait on the chance that she'll come.
  13. Idioms on the off chance, in the very slight hope or against the very slight possibility.

v.i. 
  1. to happen or occur by chance:It chanced that our arrivals coincided.

v.t. 
  1. to take the chances or risks of;
    risk (often fol. by impersonal it):I'll have to chance it, whatever the outcome.
  2. chance on or upon, to come upon by chance;
    meet unexpectedly:She chanced on a rare kind of mushroom during her walk through the woods.

adj. 
  1. not planned or expected;
    accidental:a chance occurrence.
  • Vulgar Latin *cadentia a befalling, happening; see cadenza
  • Old French chance, cheance
  • Middle English 1250–1300
chance′less, adj. 
    • 2.See corresponding entry in Unabridged accident, fortuity.
    • 3.See corresponding entry in Unabridged contingency.
    • 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged opening.
    • 14.See corresponding entry in Unabridged befall. See happen. 
    • 17.See corresponding entry in Unabridged casual, fortuitous.
    • 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged necessity.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
chance / tʃɑːns/
  1. the unknown and unpredictable element that causes an event to result in a certain way rather than another, spoken of as a real force
  2. (as modifier): a chance meeting
    Related adjective(s): fortuitous
  3. fortune; luck; fate
  4. an opportunity or occasion
  5. a risk; gamble
  6. the extent to which an event is likely to occur; probability
  7. an unpredicted event, esp a fortunate one
  8. by chance ⇒ accidentally: the plot was discovered by chance
  9. on the chance ⇒ acting on the possibility; in case
  1. (transitive) to risk; hazard
  2. to happen by chance; be the case by chance: I chanced to catch sight of her as she passed
  3. chance on, chance upon ⇒ to come upon by accident
  4. chance one's arm ⇒ to attempt to do something although the chance of success may be slight
Etymology: 13th Century: from Old French cheance, from cheoir to fall, occur, from Latin cadereˈchanceful

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