1.
You refer to how likely something is to happen as the ~ that it will happen.
What are the ~ of finding a parking space right outside the door?...
The ~ are that you are going to fail.
N-PLURAL: usu the N
see also ~-on
2.
In betting, ~ are expressions with numbers such as ‘10 to 1’ and ‘7 to 2’ that show how likely something is thought to be, for example how likely a particular horse is to lose or win a race.
Gavin Jones, who put ?25 on Eugene, at ~ of 50 to 1, has won ?1,250.
N-PLURAL
3.
If someone is at ~ with someone else, or if two people are at ~, they are disagreeing or quarrelling with each other.
He was at ~ with his Prime Minister...
An adviser said there was no reason why the two countries should remain at ~.
PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, oft PHR with n
4.
If you say that the ~ are against something or someone, you mean that they are unlikely to succeed.
He reckoned the ~ are against the scheme going ahead...
PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n
5.
If something happens against all ~, it happens or succeeds although it seemed impossible or very unlikely.
Some women do manage to achieve business success against all ~...
PHRASE: PHR with cl
6.
If you say that the ~ are in someone’s favour, you mean that they are likely to succeed in what they are doing.
His troops will only engage in a ground battle when all the ~ are in their favour.
PHRASE: V inflects
7.
To shorten the ~ on something happening means to make it more likely to happen. To lengthen the ~ means to make it less likely to happen. You can also say that the ~ shorten or lengthen.
His reception there shortened the ~ that he might be the next Tory leader.
PHRASE: V inflects