CHANCE
ADJECTIVES
1374 — ADVENTUROUS occurring or coming by chance; casual, fortuitous, accidental → obs.
1387 — HAPPIOUS chancy; fortuitous → obs.
1648 — LUCKY occurring by chance; depending on chance → obs.
ADVERBS
1325 — PERADVENTURE by chance, by accident → arch.
1362 — HAPLY by chance or accident; perhaps; maybe → arch.
1377 — HAPPILY by chance; perhaps; maybe → arch.
1460 — ADVENTUROUSLY by chance, accidentally, casually → obs.
1548 — BECHANCE by chance → obs.
1672 — HAPPY-GO-LUCKY by chance; as luck would have it; haphazard
1854 — HAPPY BY LUCKY at a chance, at all hazards, by chance → Eng. dial.
1918 — HAPPENLY SO by chance → Amer. dial.
INTERJECTIONS/PHRASES
1637 — UPON LUCK’S HEAD by chance; on the chance that one will be successful or fortunate → Sc.
.M18 — NOT AN EARTHLY no chance at all; absolutely impossible → sl.
1796 — NOT A CAT IN HELL’S CHANCE no chance at all
1796 — NOT A CAT’S CHANCE no chance at all
..19C — AS MUCH CHANCE AS A SNOWBALL IN HELL no chance whatsoever
1840 — HASN’T GOT A CHINAMAN’S CHANCE no chance at all → Amer. sl.
.M19 — FAT CHANCE! no chance at all → sl.
1857 — NOT THE GHOST OF A CHANCE no chance at all
..L19 — NOT A FAIR POP not a fair chance → sl.
..L19 — ON A HIDING TO NOTHING with absolutely no chance, esp. in a sporting contest → sl.
..20C — AS MUCH CHANCE AS A FART IN A WINDSTORM no chance whatsoever → Can.
1910 — NOT A HOPE IN HELL no chance at all → sl.
1910 — ON THE TINNY LUCK by a fortunate chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1911 — NOT A CHINAMAN’S CHANCE no chance at all → Amer. sl., now usually offensive
1913 — BY GUESS AND BY GOLLY hit or miss → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1913 — ONE’S GOOSE IS COOKED one’s chances are at an end → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1924 — FAIR CRACK OF THE WHIP! give one a chance! be fair! → Aust. & NZ sl.
1931 — NOT A SNOWBALL’S CHANCE (IN HELL) no chance at all
1940 — FAIR BUCK! give me a chance! be fair! → NZ sl.
1945 — PLAYING A HAND WITH HIS EYES SHUT said of a person taking a chance → US Western usage (Bk.)
1948 — FAT SHOW! no chance at all → NZ sl.
1950 — NOT A FART’S CHANCE IN A WINDSTORM no chance at all → US sl.
1958 — NOT ON YOUR NELLIE not a chance, absolutely impossible → sl.
1966 — CHURCH IS OUT something is over or finished; a chance is gone → Amer. dial.
1972 — DID A ONE LEGGED MAN EVER WIN AN ASS-KICKING CONTEST? said when there is no chance at all → Amer. sl.
1980 — NOT A SHIT SHOW no chance at all → NZ sl.
1984 — NO HIDE, NO CHRISTMAS BOX no hope of that; not a chance → Aust. sl.
1999 — A BEE’S DICK OF A CHANCE the smallest possible chance → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
1999 — AS MUCH CHANCE AS PUSHING SHIT UPHILL WITH A RUBBER FORK no chance at all → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
1999 — NOT HAVE AN EARTHLY has no chance; has no idea about a subject → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
2001 — NOT A FART’S CHANCE IN A WHIRLWIND no chance at all → US sl.
2001 — NOT ON YOUR NANNY no chance, not a hop → Ireland
NOUNS
1205 — HAPS a chance, accident, happening; an event or occurrence which befalls one
1230 — ADVENTURE chance, fortune, luck; that which comes to us, or happens without design → obs.
1300 — ADVENTURE a chance occurrence; an event, an accident → obs.
1300 — CAST chance, fortune, opportunity; a throw or stroke of fortune; lot, fate → obs. exc. Eng. dial.
1340 — CASE chance, hazard, hap → obs.
1374 — JEOPARDY an even chance; an undecided state of affairs; uncertainty; chance → obs.
1393 — ACCIDENCE chance, mishap; fortuitous circumstance → obs.
1423 — CASUALTY chance, accident → obs.
1450 — PERADVENTURE the possibility of a thing being so or not; uncertainty, doubt; a chance; a risk, hazard → arch.
1450 — VENTURE chance; fortune, luck → obs.
1450 — WHEEL OF CUSTRONS the wheel of Fortune; chance, fate → obs.
1540 — CASUALITY chance; a chance or casual occurrence, contingency; esp. an unfortunate occurrence, accident, casualty → obs.
1562 — TO-FALL a chance, accident, casualty; that which befalls or falls to anyone → obs.
1566 — CASUAL a chance; a casual event → obs.
1579 — MUMCHANCE a chance, a hazardous venture → Eng. dial.
1590 — BETIDE chance, fortune, befalling, event → obs.
1592 — VANTAGE a chance; an opportunity → obs.
1638 — EVEN WAGER an even chance
1678 — CAVEL — KAVEL fate, destiny, chance → Sc. & Eng. dial.
1742 — EQUAL WAGER an even chance
1768 — ETTLE chance, opportunity → Sc.
1790 — ELECTION a chance, likelihood, prospect → Eng. dial.
1830 — A GOOD SHAKE a fair or equal chance, fair treatment → US
1830 — EVEN SHAKE a fair chance, fair treatment; an equal chance → US
1830 — FAIR SHAKE a fair chance, an equitable bargain, just treatment, an honest arrangement → Amer. dial.
1849 — SIGHT a chance; an opportunity, a prospect → Amer. dial.
.M19 — FAT CHANCE no chance at all → sl.
1856 — SHOW a chance; a prospect, promise; an opportunity, opening → Amer. dial.
1861 — MAIDEN-CHANCE a first chance or opportunity → Sc.
1864 — ACCIDENCY a chance; a windfall; a fortuitous circumstance or acquisition → obs.
1866 — MAKINGS chances; opportunities; openings → Eng. dial.
1884 — WHACK a chance, a turn or attempt
1884 — SHOWING a chance; a prospect, promise; an opportunity, opening → Amer. dial.
1887 — HAPPY-GO-LUCKY chance, accident → Eng. dial.
1888 — A FAIR GO a fair chance, a ‘square deal’ a fair contest; equitable or reasonable treatment → colloq.
1890 — DOG’S CHANCE a poor chance, the least chance; usually used in the negative
1890 — FAIR DINKUM a fair chance, fair treatment → Aust. sl.
1892 — SLANT a chance → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
1898 — DOG’S SHOW a poor chance, the least chance; usually used in the negative → Aust. & NZ
..L19 — FAIR POP a fair chance, a good opportunity → sl.
..L19 — SPORTING CHANCE a fair chance, although one that cannot be predicted → sl.
1900 — FARE chance, lot; condition, circumstances → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 — HAND-HAP a chance, hazard → Sc. (Bk.)
1905 — HAP chance or fortune (good or bad) that falls to anyone; luck, lot → Sc. (Bk.)
1905 — HAP-LUCK chance → Eng. dial. (Bk.)
1905 — HAPPEN-CHANCE a chance or accidental occurrence; a coincidence → Eng. & Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1908 — HAPPEN-SO a chance or accidental occurrence; a coincidence → Amer. dial.
1910 — FAIR SPIN a reasonable chance, fair treatment → sl.
1911 — CHINAMAN’S CHANCE an extremely slim chance or no chance at all → Amer. sl., now usually offensive
1911 — EVEN BREAK an equal chance → US
1913 — GRAB a chance → Amer. dial. (Bk.)
1920 — DANGER a chance, a possibility; a likelihood → sl.
1926 — FAIR BREAK a fair chance → US
1929 — FAIR CRACK OF THE WHIP a reasonable chance; fair treatment; equal opportunity → Aust. sl.
1930 — FAT SHOW no chance at all → NZ sl.
1940 — FAIR BUCK a fair chance → NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK OF THE PINEAPPLE a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK OF THE SAUCE BOTTLE a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK OF THE SAUSAGE a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK OF THE SAV a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1960 — FAIR SUCK OF THE STICK a fair or equal chance → Aust. & NZ sl.
1974 — FLYER a chance, a gamble → Amer. sl. (Bk.)
1980 — WHOP a try or chance → sl.
1996 — ONE-EIGHT-SEVEN no chance; no possibility → US sl.
1999 — BEE’S DICK OF A CHANCE the smallest possible chance → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
2006 — CRAPSHOOT a matter of chance; a gamble → US sl. (Bk.)
NOUNS, PERSON
1965 — FEATHERHEAD a person who takes foolish chances → Amer. dial.
VERBS
1605 — MAKE A BALK OF GOOD GROUND to waste or throw away a good chance
1742 — ANTER — AUNTER to chance, to venture → Sc.
..19C — TAKE ONE’S DERRY to take a chance → Eng. dial.
1885 — TAKE A FLIER — TAKE A FLYER to take a chance, to gamble, esp. financially → US sl.
1895 — HAVE A CALL UPON to have the first chance of or with → colloq.
1902 — WAIT FOR A LAY to wait for a chance or opportunity → Sc. (Bk.)
1911 — BECHANCE to happen by chance → Sc. (Bk.)
1954 — HAPPEN-SO to come about by chance → Amer. dial.
1958 — ODDS to take a chance, to risk → sl.
1962 — HAPPEN-CHANCE to come by chance or accident → Amer. dial.
1999 — TAKE A PUNT to take a chance → Aust. sl. (Bk.)
Lexicophilia 