Forms: 4–6 chaunce, chaunse, 4–7 chanse, 6– chance. [f. prec. sb.]
1. intr. To come about by chance; to happen, occur, fall out, come to pass.
a. with the event as subject, expressed either by a sb. preceding the verb, or by a clause following it, the verb being then preceded by it, as ‘It chanced that I saw.’ arch.
1393. Gower, Conf., III. 163. Flaterie passeth alle … For upon thilke lot it chaunceth To be beloved now a day.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 13777. When Troylus … was turnyt to ground By Achilles, as chaunset of þat choise kyng.
1526. Tindale, Mark ii. 23. It chaunced that he went thorowe the corne feldes.
1535. Coverdale, Phil. i. 19. Ye same shal chaunce to my Saluacion.
1546. Primer Hen. VIII., 122. Let a more plenteous fruitfulnes chaunce.
1561. T. Norton, Calvin’s Inst., I. 57. All thinges that chaunce in heauen and earth.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., III. This slaughter chanced on a saturdaie.
1611. Bible, 1 Cor. xv. 37. Bare graine, it may chance of wheate.
1815. Scott, Guy M., xxxi. Three days ago chanced an occurrence of a nature which alarmed me.
1863. Kinglake, Crimea, II. iii. 74. Whenever it chanced that the feelings of the people were roused.
† b. followed by an indirect obj. (dative); the event being expressed as in a, or by infinitive following it. Obs.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 12305. Pollexena … Thurgh whom Achilles, þe choise kyng, chansit his end.
1535. Joye, Apol. Tindale, 46. Yt chaunced me to turne here and there.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 122. It chaunced him that as he passed through Oxfoorde, the schollers picked a quarrell unto his servauntes.
1581. Marbeck, Bk. of Notes, 6. All those things that should chance him.
1596. Spenser, F. Q., I. ii. 12. At last him chaunst to meete upon the way A faithlesse Sarazin.
1611. Bible, Deut. xxiii. 10. By reason of vncleannesse that chanceth him by night.
c. with the indirect object of b. changed into grammatical subject; followed by inf. expressing the event. (e.g., ‘Him chanced to come,’ ‘He chanced to come’: cf. HAPPEN.) Somewhat arch.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, 7701. Than Achilles with a chop chaunset to sle Philles.
1551–6. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 124. Yf anything in her body afterward should chaunce to offend and myslyke them.
1553. Eden, Treat. New Ind. (Arb.), 5. There chaunsed … to come to my handes, a shiete of printed paper.
1596. Shaks., Tam. Shr., IV. i. 209. If she chance to nod, Ile raile and brawle.
1628. Hobbes, Thucyd., I. (1629), 12. Where any discord chanced to arise.
1711. Budgell, Spect., No. 77, ¶ 6. I chanced the other Day to go into a Coffee-house.
1867. Trollope, Chron. Barset, II. xlvi. 23. I would look in and smoke a cigar with him if he chanced to be at home!
2. To happen to come, come by chance (on or upon; also formerly with other prepositions). Somewhat arch. Cf. happen.)
1536. in W. H. Turner, Select. Rec. Oxford, 139. He chaunced under an arche of ye bridge where ye water was very shallowe.
1548–63. J. Bale, Sel. Wks., 156. But this chancellor, belike, chanced upon that blind popish work.
1551–6. Robinson, trans. More’s Utop. (Arb.), 66. Chaunsynge into the company of them.
1568. Grafton, Chron., II. 64. At the last chaunced upon the right key, and so opened the gate.
1630. Wadsworth, Sp. Pilgr., ii. 6. Wee chanced on a … shippe … bound for Callis.
1856. Ruskin, Mod. Paint., IV. V. xviii. § 10. Every one of the forms that Flaxman has chanced upon.
† 3. To speed, have luck (of some kind). Obs.
(In quot. 1553 perh. = to speed badly: cf. to mischance.)
1534. Ld. Berners, Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546), Kk viij. Wryte to me … if thy wyfe Dyorsilla chaunced welle of the flote that came out of Cetin.
1553. Sir E. Montagu, in Fuller, Ch. Hist., VIII. i. § 2. What was best to be done for the safeguard of his life, which was like to chance in that fury and great anger presently.
4. trans. To risk, venture, take one’s chance of. colloq.
1859. Farrar, Eric, 323. Oh! chance the towels. We can run about till we’re dry.
1870. ‘A. R. Hope,’ My Schoolboy Friends, 77. Never mind; we’ll chance it.
1879–80. Rep. Attorn. Gen. of Pennsyl., Very few would chance the pains and penalties of perjury to save a few dollars of taxes.
¶ 5. How chance was formerly used in questions for ‘how chances it that,’ ‘how is (was) it that.’
Here chance takes no inflexion, and almost assumes the character of an adverb. Cf. CHANCE sb. C.
a. 1555. Latimer, Serm. & Rem. (1845), 156. How chance you go not to the service upon the holy-days?
1590. Marlowe, Edw. II., I. iv. 564, C 3. How chance this was not done before?
1598. Shaks., Merry W., V. v. 230. How chance you went not with Mr. Slender? Ibid. (1606), Tr. & Cr., III. i. 151. How chance my brother Troylus went not?
