to do sth even though you think that there is only a small possibility of it being successful :
She scanned the crowd on the off chance of seeing someone she knew.
I called in at the office on the off chance that you would still be there.
to do sth even though you think that there is only a small possibility of it being successful :
She scanned the crowd on the off chance of seeing someone she knew.
I called in at the office on the off chance that you would still be there.
Oxford Advanced Learner's English Dictionary. Оксфордский английский словарь для изучающик язык на продвинутом уровне. 2005