— chanceless , adj.
/chans, chahns/ , n. , v. , chanced, chancing , 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. 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. Midland and Southern U.S. a quantity or number (usually fol. by of ).
10. Archaic. an unfortunate event; mishap.
11. by chance , without plan or intent; accidentally: I met her again by chance in a department store in Paris.
12. on the chance , in the mild hope or against the possibility: I'll wait on the chance that she'll come.
13. on the off chance , in the very slight hope or against the very slight possibility.
v.i.
14. to happen or occur by chance: It chanced that our arrivals coincided.
v.t.
15. to take the chances or risks of; risk (often fol. by impersonal it ): I'll have to chance it, whatever the outcome.
16. 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.
17. not planned or expected; accidental: a chance occurrence.
[ 1250-1300; ME chance, cheance cadentia a befalling, happening; see CADENZA ]
Syn. 2. accident, fortuity. 3. contingency. 4. opening. 14. befall. See happen. 17. casual, fortuitous.
Ant. 1. necessity.