I. ˈädz noun plural but sometimes singular in construction
Etymology: odd (I) + -s
1.
a. archaic : inequalities, disparities
death looks down with nods and smiles and makes the odds all even — W.M.Praed
b. obsolete : degree of unlikeness
a manifest odds between the bigness of the diameter — John Locke
2.
a. : amount of difference by which one thing exceeds or falls short of another : amount in excess or defect
won the election by considerable odds
b.
(1) : difference favoring one of two opposed things : balance of advantage or weight of opposition
the overwhelming odds it affords the sportsman over bird and animal — Richard Jefferies
one man's determination to win through despite heavy odds — Robert Nicholas
has managed to beat the odds against him — Frank O'Leary
would assume that the odds were against him — Gilbert Highet
(2) archaic : the state or fact of being in an advantageous position
(3) : difference in the way of advantage or disadvantage or of benefit or detriment : significant difference : importance : advantage to be gained : profit , benefit , use , percentage
it makes no odds what you do
she'll do it anyway, so what's the odds of telling her not to
it was little odds what they sang, for they were all singing out of tune — Michael McLaverty
what's the odds , if thinking so makes them happy — Flora Thompson
c.
(1) : the probability that one thing is so rather than another or that one thing will happen rather than another : balance of probability : greater likelihood : chances
the night is clear and the odds are that it'll stay that way until morning — H.D.Cooper
the odds are against it
(2) : the ratio of probability that one thing is so rather than another or that one thing will happen rather than another
it is even odds which makes the more noise — Claudia Cassidy
3. : disagreement , dissension , variance — now usually used with at
was at odds with everything she represented — Cliff Farrell
were at moral odds among themselves — Time
4.
a.
(1) : an advantage (as a head start in a footrace) given to a less skilled or otherwise weaker competitor
allowed odds to the other team
(2) : special favor : special treatment or consideration : partiality
I ask no odds of them, no more than I do of the dirt I walk on — H.C.Kimball
b.
(1) : the advantage of an unequal wager that is granted by one making a bet to one accepting the bet and that is made proportionate to and is designed to equalize the assumed chances favoring the one or the other of the bettors
offered him odds of 3 to 1 but he refused to take the bet
(2) : the ratio assumed to exist or actually arrived at (as by preliminary placement of bets) with regard to the probabilities of winning or losing and used as a basis for placing bets ; specifically : the ratio existing between the amount to be paid off for a winning bet and the amount of the bet placed
the horse was running at odds of 6 to 1
•
- by all odds
II. transitive verb
( past or past part oddsed present third singular odds )
dialect England : to make some adjustment in (as by altering)