Forms: 3 cheance, 3–4 cheaunce, 4 Sc. chanss, 3–7 chaunce, 4 chauns(e, chanse, 4–5 chawnce, 4–6 chans, 4– chance. [ME. chea(u)nce, a. OF. cheance (= Pr. cazensa, It. cadenza):—late L. cadentia falling, f. cadent- falling, pr. pple. of cad-ĕre to fall: cf. CADENCE.]
1. The falling out or happening of events; the way in which things fall out; fortune; case.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 465. To come … to helpe is moder, that was her ofte in feble chaunce.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 10690. Þe biscop þam þe chauns tald, Qui he did þam sembled be.
1528. More, Heresyes, IV. Wks. 273/1. As he would haue made ye contrary choyse, if he had foresene in them the contrary chaunce.
1551–6. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop., 89. If chaunce be that … the stoore increase.
1870. Bryant, Iliad, XVIII. 388. The chance of war Is equal, and the slayer oft is slain.
b. A happening or occurrence of things in a particular way; a casual or fortuitous circumstance; = ACCIDENT 1 b.
1375. Barbour, Bruce, XX. 58. Fesnyng of frendschip and of pess, That neuir for na chanss suld cess.
15[?]. Cokwolds Daunce, 105, in Hazl., E. P. P., I. 43. That was thruȝht a chans.
1611. Bible, 1 Sam. vi. 9. It was a chance that happened to vs.
1614. Bp. Hall, Heaven upon Earth, § 18. It is a chance, if ever riches were good to any.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Loom & Lugger, II. i. 5. ’Tis a curious chance that the looms should be all four quiet.
1884. R. W. Church, Bacon, v. 112. It was a chance that the late Chief-Justice and his wife, with their armed parties, did not meet on the road, in which case ‘there were like to be strange tragedies.’
2. (with pl.) A matter that falls out or happens; a fortuitous event or occurrence; often, an unfortunate event, mishap, mischance; = ACCIDENT 1 a, c. arch.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 28055. Mani sinful chances þat mai fall.
c. 1300. Beket, 2494. Al his cheänces that he hadde By Tywesdai hi come.
1460. Pol. Rel. & L. Poems (1866), 199. If þou wolt … charite kepe in eche chaunce.
1529. More, in Four C. Eng. Lett., 12. There shall no poore neighbour of mine bere no losse by any chance happened in my house.
1549. Bk. Com. Prayer, Communion. All the changes and chances of this mortal life.
1671. Milton, Samson, 656. The bearing well of all calamities, All chances incident to man’s frail life.
1709. Strype, Ann. Ref., I. xxxii. 330. A lamentable chance happened. Sir Tho. Finch … taking ship at Rye … [was] lost with the ship.
1859. Tennyson, Enid, 1658. Ye surely have endured Strange chances.
† 3. That which befalls a person; (one’s) hap, fortune, luck, lot. Obs. or arch.
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 14. Hym þouȝte þe ymage in hys slep tolde hym hys cheance.
c. 1374. Chaucer, Anel. & Arc., 345. My destinye or chaunce.
1549. Coverdale, Erasm. Par. Coloss. i. 3. It hath not yet hitherto been my chaunce to see you.
1601. Shaks., Twel. N., III. iv. 177. If it be thy chance to kill me.
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., I. xi. 53. It was my chance lately to be in company with three Gentlemen.
b. in the game of Hazard.
c. 1386. Chaucer, Pard. T., 325. Seuene is my chaunce, and thyn is cynk and treye.
4. An opportunity that comes in any one’s way. (Often passing into sense 5.)
1297. R. Glouc. (1724), 468. The king let Henri is sone, as God ȝef the cheaunce, Lowis doȝter spousi.
1611. Shaks., Cymb., V. iv. 132. I That haud this Golden chance, and know not why.
1725. N. Robinson, Th. Physick, 254. The Cholera … gives the Patient scarce a single Chance for his Life, if those Symptoms are not speedily mitigated.
1774. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 470. A change of climate is his only chance.
1843. Carlyle, Past & Pr. (1858), 250. Thou hadst one chance, thou wilt never have another.
1869. J. Martineau, Ess., II. 3. Hitherto the moral sciences have had no fair chance.
1883. Standard, 3 Aug., 6/6. Mr. Townsend batted in his best style up to a certain point, but the second half of his innings was disfigured by two chances.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 153. Well, this is the second chance Milly’s thrown away this season!
5. A possibility or probability of anything happening: as distinct from a certainty: often in plural, with a number expressed. b. Math. = PROBABILITY; so also theory or doctrine of chances.
1778. T. Jones, Hoyle’s Games Impr., 153. I would know how many Chances there are upon 2 Dice … The Answer is 36.
1785. Reid, Int. Powers, 626. The doctrine of chances is a branch of mathematics little more than an hundred years old.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., xix. Wks. (Bohn), I. 239. Unless the chances are a hundred to one that he will cut and harvest it.
1848. Macaulay, Hist. Eng., I. 216. There was no chance that even the least odious part of the scheme … would be supported by a majority.
1879. Lubbock, Sci. Lect., i. 7. The chances against any given grain reaching the pistil of another flower are immense.
6. Absence of design or assignable cause, fortuity; often itself spoken of as the cause or determiner of events, which appear to happen without the intervention of law, ordinary causation, or providence; = ACCIDENT 2.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 144 b. In cases of chaunce or vncertaynty.
1581. J. Bell, Haddon’s Answ. Osor., 160 b. Those whiche … doe committe the successes of thynges to happe hazard, and blynd chaunce.
1641. Brome, Joviall Crew, II. Wks. 1873, III. 389. I ha’ not so much Wealth to weigh me down, Nor so little (I thank Chance) as to daunce naked.
1722. Wollaston, Relig. Nat., v. 83. Chance seems to be only a term, by which we express our ignorance of the cause of any thing.
1802. Paley, Nat. Theol., xii. § 2 (1819), 198. A conformation so happy was not the gift of chance.
1841–4. Emerson, Ess., xiv. Wks. (Bohn), I. 183. The ancients, struck with this irreducibleness of the elements of human life to calculation, exalted Chance into a divinity.
1846. Mill, Logic, III. xvii. § 2. It is incorrect to say that any phenomenon is produced by chance; but we may say that two or more phenomena are conjoined by chance … meaning that they are in no way related through causation.
II. Phrases.
7. By chance: a. As it falls or fell out; without design; casually, accidentally, incidentally, haply.
c. 1315. Shoreham, 60. And ȝef the man other that wyf By cheaunce doumbe were.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 108. Pelleus … hade a wyfe … Tetyda she heght: Þes gret in þere gamyn gate hom betwene, Achilles, by chaunce.
1535. Coverdale, 2 Sam. i. 6. I came by chaunce vnto mount Gelboa.
1559. Mirr. Mag., Dk. Suffolk, xxiv. 4. Encountred me upon the seas by chance.
1571. Ascham, Scholem., II. (Arb.), 122. Not obiter and bichance, but purposelie.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus., II. 53. Sometime by chance a blind man may catch a hare.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 126, ¶ 8. If by chance the Coachman stopped at a wrong Place.
1875. Manning, Mission H. Ghost, ii. 41. Some book that you picked up, as you say, by chance.
† b. Perchance, perhaps, maybe. Obs.
1526. Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W., 1531), 6 b. Thou mayst lese thy goodes … and also by chaunce the helth of thy body.
† c. At random, anyhow. Obs.
1669. Sturmy, Mariner’s Mag., I. I. 29. From the given Point C, to the Line AB, draw a Line by chance.
† 8. In, through, with chance: = by chance (see 7 a). Of chance: (a.) = by chance (7 a); (b.) = on the chance (10). Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 6771. If þis ahut be stoln in [Fairf. wiþ] chanse. Ibid., 7171. Thoru chance he fand an assban. Ibid., 1514 (Fairf.). Cayme he sloghe wiþ [Trin. bi] chance.
c. 1330. R. Brunne, Chron. (1810), 59. Þer fader & þei o chance togider gan mete. Ibid., 207. Þe kyng … atires him gode nauie Tille Inglond, ochance to wynne it with maistrie.
† 9. For any chance: for anything that might happen, in any event, anyhow, ever. Obs.
a. 1300. Cursor M., 245. (Gött.). Seldom was for ani chance Englis tong preched in france. Ibid., 5575 (Fairf.). May na mon for nankin chaunce for-do þat lordes puruyaunce.
10. On the chance: acting on the chance or possibility (of or that …); see sense 5.
11. To take one’s chance: a. to take what may befall one, submit to whatever may happen; to ‘risk it.’ So † to stand to one’s chance (obs.). b. To seize one’s opportunity (see 4).
a. 1300. Land Cokaygne, 184, in E. E. P. (1862), 161. Ye stond to yure cheance.
c. 1325. Lai le Freine, 107. Me is best take mi chaunce.
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 86. Wishing rather to stande to thy chaunce, than to the choyce of any other.
1595. Shaks., John, I. i. 151. Brother, take you my land, Ile take my chance. Ibid. (1596), Merch. V., II. i. 38. You must take your chance. Ibid. (1611), Cymb., IV. ii. 382. Wilt take thy chance with me?
1791. Smeaton, Edystone L., § 98. To take the chance of the morning’s tide.
1847. Tennyson, Princess, III. 127. We had limed ourselves With open eyes, and we must take the chance.
12. The main chance: † a. The chief or paramount issue, the most important eventuality. Obs. b. That which is of chief importance; now esp. the chance of enriching oneself or of getting gain, one’s own interests; in such phrases as to mind, provide for, have an eye to the main chance. (A cant phrase in 1699, and still partaking of that character. Perhaps from the game of Hazard: see further under MAIN.)
1579. Lyly, Euphues (Arb.), 104. Either content yourself with my choice, or lette mee stande to the maine chaunce.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., III. i. 83. A man may prophecie With a neere ayme, of the maine chance of things, As yet not come to Life.
c. 1645. Howell, Lett. (6 Jan. 1625). [Bacon] scarce left any money … which did argue no great wisdom, it being … a property of a wise man to provide for the main chance.
a. 1677. J. Harrington, Syst. Politics, x. 512. The Master … that either keeps himself up to his antient bounds, or increases his Stock, looks very well to the main chance.
1690. B. E., Dict. Cant. Crew, s.v. Eye, ’Tis good to have an Eye to the main Chance, or look to your Hits.
1733. Berkeley, Alciphr., I. 79. Bubalion … thinks himself wise, and passeth for one that minds the main chance.
1832. Macaulay, Burghley, Ess. (1854), 221/2. He had … a constant eye to the main chance.
13. To stand a (good, fair) chance: see STAND.
1796. Morse, Amer. Geog., II. 108. He … hardly stood a chance of becoming a beggar.
1885. Manch. Exam., 12 Nov., 5/1. The Ministry … stand a good chance of seeing themselves reduced to insignificance.
B. attrib. or as adj. That occurs or is by chance; happening to be such; casual, incidental. (Often unnecessarily hyphened.)
1676. Manch. Crt. Leet Rec. (1888), VI. 15. John Sherdley Butcher for sellinge of two chance cowes vis. viiid.
1722. De Foe, Plague (1884), 18. My Dealings were … not by a Shop or Chance Trade.
1727. Swift, What passed in Lond., Wks. 1755, III. I. 179. There were five chance auditors.
1833. Ht. Martineau, Tale of Tyne, i. 2. The chance amusements of former days.
1860. W. Collins, Wom. in White, III. i. 427. I parted with my chance companion.
1868. Isab. Saxon, 5 Yrs. within the Golden Gate, 181. Chance gains.
1883. G. Lloyd, Ebb & Flow, II. 77. A chance paragraph in a book.
C. as adv. By chance, perchance, haply. arch.
(In some of the examples chance may be a verb.)
1595. Maroccus Ext., 20. I may chance of these and more leaue a deeper print.
1597. Shaks., 2 Hen. IV., II. i. 12. It may chance cost some of us our lives.
1704. Swift, Batt. Bks. (1711), 265. If chance her Geese be scatter’d over the Common.
1818. Byron, Ch. Harold, IV. lxvii. While, chance, some scatter’d water-lily sails.
1849. Lowell, Biglow P., Poet. Wks. (1879), 167. Lest some mischief may chance befall them.
D. in comb., usually in attrib. or adv. relation (cf. B), = by chance, casual, -ly; as chance-comer, -hit, -hurt, -shot; chance-dropped, -meeting, -poised, -ravelled, -sown, -taken, -won, ppl. adjs.; also chance-bairn, -child, an illegitimate child; chance lot, a lot (of land or other commodity) constituted not by design, but as an incident of other operations; chance-wise adv., by chance, casually. See also CHANCE-MEDLEY.
1863. Atkinson, Danby Provinc., *Chance-bairn, an illegitimate child.
1838. Dickens, O. Twist, v. No *chance-child was he, for he could trace his genealogy all the way back to his parents.
1711. Addison, Spect., No. 131, ¶ 8. A man … does not care for sacrificing an Afternoon to every *Chance-comer.
1832. Lyell, Princ. Geol., II. 77. A variety of species may first thrive there and then perish, and be followed by other chance-comers like themselves.
1887. Smiles, Life & Labour, 153. By some *chance-correct reply.
1835. Talfourd, Ion, I. i. Liberal words *chance-dropped.
1882. W. B. Scott, Poet’s Harv. Home, 36. But alas for the ears of mortals *Chance-hearing that fate-laden song.
1818. Scott, Hrt. Midl., xxxvii. Jeanie’s last *chance-hit … obliterated the ill impression which had arisen from the first.
1711. Shaftesb., Charact. (1737), II. 420. A *chance hurt? an accident against thought, or intention?
1888. Scotsman, 8 Feb., 3/6. *Chance-lot Feus, convenient to Cars and N.B. and Cal. Railway.
a. 1649. Drumm. of Hawth., Cypress Grove, Wks. (1711), 120. Imaginary cities raised in the sky by *chance-meeting clouds.
1667. Denham, Direct. Paint., I. xii. 32. A *chance-shot sooner took him.
1810. Scott, Lady of L., II. xix. No sapling, *chance-sown by the fountain.
1844. Kinglake, Eöthen, 293. He … lets him rave for a season, but all *chance-wise, of people, and things once dear, [etc.].
1861. Wheat & Tares, 388. If I died, sir, I should not like her to hear of it chance-wise.
1887. Proctor, Chance & Luck, 162. If there is any evil quality of human nature … it is the greed for *chance-won wealth.
