1possibility 可能性 [countableC, uncountableU]PROBABLY the possibility that something will happen, especially something you want 机会,可能性
There’s always the chance that something will go wrong.
总有可能会出现问题。
chance of
What are the team’s chances of success?
球队获胜的希望有多大?
If we did move to London, I’d stand a much better chance (=have a much better chance) of getting a job.
如果我们真的搬到伦敦去,我找到工作的机会就大多了。
There is little chance of her being found alive.
她生还的可能性很小。
Chances are (=it is likely that) you’ll be fine.
你会没事的。
2opportunity 机会 [countableC]CHANCE/OPPORTUNITY a time or situation which you can use to do something that you want to do 机会,机遇,有利时机SYN opportunity
chance to do something
Ralph was waiting for a chance to introduce himself.
拉尔夫正在等待机会作自我介绍。
chance of
our only chance of escape
我们唯一的逃脱机会
I’m sorry, I haven’t had a chance to look at it yet.
对不起,我还没有时间看呢。
If someone invited me over to Florida, I’d jump at the chance (=use the opportunity eagerly).
如果有人邀请我去佛罗里达,我会赶紧抓住这个机会。
3RISK 风险take a chanceRISKto do something that involvesrisks 冒险;碰运气
The rope might break, but that’s a chance we’ll have to take.
绳子可能会断,但我们只能冒这个险了。
After losing $20,000 on my last business venture, I’m not taking any chances this time.
上次生意我损失了20,000美元,这次我不会冒任何风险了。
take a chance on
He was taking a chance on a relatively new young actor.
他冒险用一个出道不太久的年轻演员。
He decided to take his chances in the boat.
他决定上船碰碰运气。
Examples from the Corpus
take a chance• Isaacs chanced it with a long three-point shot at goal in the last minute of the game.• The great champions were aggressive, took chances.• There are a lot of people here who are afraid to take chances and do new things.• There are a lot of people in the movieindustry who are afraid to take chances and do new things.• He had begun to take chances.• He persuaded the record company to take a chance on the band, and it became a hugehit.• Bernstein decided to take a chance.• You have to take chances for peace, just as you must take chances in war.• Looking back, Andrew Ory acknowledges he was both brash and naive, but willing to take chances.• Victortook a chance and set up his own company, which has been very successful.• She knew she was taking a chance, but she decided to buy the house anyway.• It might not happen, but it is never worthtaking a chance.
4LIKELY TO SUCCEED 很可能成功的somebody’s chancesPROBABLYhow likely it is that someone will succeed 某人的成功机会
Ryan will be a candidate in next month’s elections, but his chances are not good.
瑞安将是下个月选举的候选人,但他成功的机会不大。
somebody’s chances of doing something
England’s chances of winning the series have all but disappeared.
英格兰队在这次系列赛中获胜的机会几乎已荡然无存。
not fancy/not rate somebody’s chancesBritish EnglishBrE (=think someone is unlikely to succeed) 认为某人不可能成功
I don’t fancy their chances against Brazil.
我觉得他们战胜巴西队的机会很渺茫。
Don’t say ‘someone’s chances to do something’. Say someone’s chances of doing something.
不要说 ‘someone’s chances to do something’. 而要说someone’s chances of doing something.
5luck 运气 [uncountableU]CHANCE/BY CHANCE the way some things happen without being planned or caused by people 巧合,偶然 → fate
by chance
I bumped into her quite by chance in Oxford Street.
我在牛津街碰巧遇到她。
leave something to chance (=to not plan something but just hope that everything will happen as intended) 让某事碰运气
Dave had thought of every possibility, he was leaving nothing to chance.
戴夫把所有的可能性都考虑到了,不留任何纰漏。
pure/sheer/blind chance (=not at all planned) 纯粹的巧合
It was pure chance that they ended up working in the same office in the same town.
真巧,结果他们在同一个小镇同一个办事处工作。
As chance would have it, the one time I wanted to see her, she wasn’t in.
真是巧了,我难得一次想见她,她正好不在。
6by any chancespokenTRUE used to ask politely whether something is true 也许,可能〔用于礼貌地询问某事是否属实〕
Are you Mrs Grant, by any chance?
你不会就是格兰特太太吧?
Examples from the Corpus
by any chance• Is Mr Sandsawakeby any chance?• Do you feel, by any chance, awful?• Does my right hon. Friendby any chancerecollect the averageinflationrate under the last Labour Government?• But before you call anyone, find out if by any chance he has a telephone number in Marshfield.• Is there a connection between Jack Benny and Charles Manson, by any chance?• Can anyone out there tell me what frequencyRadio 5 broadcasts on ... by any chance on shortwave?• Are they, as Private Eye might say, by any chancerelated?• I wanted to ask her if she was, by any chance, called Veronica, but I didn't dare.• Would you, by any chance, know where a pay phone is?
7any chance of ...?spokenASK FOR something/ASK somebody TO DO something used to ask whether you can have something or whether something is possible 能…吗?〔用于询问是否能要某物或某事是否可能〕
Any chance of a cup of coffee?
我能要杯咖啡吗?
Any chance of you coming to the party on Saturday?
星期六你能来参加聚会吗?
8be in with a chancePROBABLYif a competitor is in with a chance, it is possible that they will win 有成功[获胜]的可能
I think we’re in with a good chance of beating them.
我认为我们很有可能击败他们。
Examples from the Corpus
be in with a chance• It seems that even Toulouse-Lautrec thinks he is in with a chance.• I felt that my running was improving as the seasonprogressed and that I was in with a chance.• He told me that if I kept running well, I was in with a chance.• Opinionpolls, though not very reliable, show that Kostunica is in with a chance.• To be in with a chance of winning simply complete this Eric Clapton songWonderful ... ...• To be in with a chance of winning, just name the lead singers of GunsN' Roses and Nirvana.
9no chance!/fat chance!spokenNO used to emphasize that you are sure something could never happen 绝对不可能!
‘Maybe your brother would lend you the money?’ ‘Huh, fat chance!’
“也许你哥哥会借钱给你呢?”“哼!绝不可能!”
10on the off chanceHOPEif you do something on the off chance, you do it hoping for a particular result, although you know it is not likely 希望〔某事〕会发生,对…抱有一线希望
I didn’t really expect her to be at home. I just called on the off chance.
11chance would be a fine thing!British EnglishBrE spokenPROBABLY used to mean that the thing you want to happen is very unlikely 要有这样的机会就好了!〔用于表示希望发生的事是不可能的〕
‘Do you think you’ll get married?’ ‘Chance would be a fine thing!’
COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: the possibility that something will happen, especially something you want 机会,可能性
verbs
have/stand a chance (of something) (=it is possible you will do it) 有可能(做某事)
I think you have a good chance of getting the job.
我想你很有可能得到这份工作。
give somebody a chance of doing something (=say how likely it is that they will do it) 说某人有多少可能性会做某事
He has been given a fifty-fifty chance of being fit for Sunday’s match.
据说他有一半的可能会在星期天的比赛中出场。
increase the chance of something 增加某事的可能性
Certain foods increase the chance of heart disease.
有些食物会增加患心脏病的概率。
improve the chance of something 提高某事的机会
The book shows you how to improve your chance of success.
本书教你如何提高成功的机会。
reduce/lessen the chance of something 减少某事的机会
nThe talks were aimed at reducing the chance of war.
ruin any chance of something (=make it impossible for something to happen) 断送某事的机会
nDrinking alcohol can ruin any chance of weight loss.
njeopardize any chance of something (=make something less likely to happen)
This could jeopardize any chance of a ceasefire.
adjectives
a good chance (=when something is likely) 很大的可能性
I think there is a good chance that he will say yes.
我想他很有可能会同意。
every chance (=a good chance) 极大的可能性
There’s every chance that the baby will survive.
这名婴儿存活的希望很大。
some chance 一些可能性
There’s some chance of snow later this week.
本周晚些时候可能会下雪。
a small/slight/slim chance 很少/些微/极小的可能性
He only has a very small chance of being elected.
他当选的可能性很小。
nThere’s a slight chance of some sunshine in the west.
no/little/not much chance 没有可能/几乎没有可能/不大可能
The prisoners knew there was little chance of escape.
犯人知道,几乎没有可能逃跑。
a one in three/four/ten etc chance (=used to say how likely something is) 三分之一/四分之一/十分之一等的可能性
People in their 30s have a one in 3,000 chance of getting the disease.
三十来岁的人患这种疾病的概率是三千分之一。
a fair chance (=a fairly good chance) 较大的可能性
nIf you work, you have a fair chance of passing the test.
a sporting chance (=a fairly good chance) 较大的可能性
nThe proposals had at least a sporting chance of being accepted.
a fighting chance (=a small but real chance) 通过努力可以获得的一线希望
nThe Republican Party has a fighting chance at the next election.
a fifty-fifty chance (=an equal chance that something will or will not happen) 百分之五十的可能性
nI’d say there is a 50–50 chance that the deal will go through.
an outside/a remote chance (=a very small chance) 极小的可能性
nHe still has an outside chance of winning the championship.
a million-to-one chance/a one in a million chance (=when something is extremely unlikely) 百万分之一的可能性
nIt must have been a million-to-one chance that we’d meet.
COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: a time or situation which you can use to do something that you want to do 机会,机遇,有利时机
verbs
get/have a chance to do something 有做某事的机会
I’d like a job in which I get the chance to travel.
我想要一份有机会旅行的工作。
give somebody/offer/provide a chance 给某人一个机会
I was given the chance to play the main part in the play.
我得到一个在剧中演主角的机会。
nSport provides a chance for you to get outside with friends.
take a chance (=accept an opportunity) 接受机会
If I was offered the chance to be in the team, I’d take it.
要是给我进球队的机会,我会接受的。
jump at a chance (=use an opportunity eagerly) 忙不迭地抓住机会
Ed jumped at the chance to earn some extra money.
埃德忙不迭地抓住这个机会赚些外快。
grab/seize a chance (=quickly use an opportunity) 立即抓住机会
As soon as she stopped speaking, I grabbed the chance to leave.
她一说完,我就赶紧抓住机会离开。
miss/lose a chance (=not use an opportunity) 错过机会
He missed a chance to score just before half time.
就在上半场结束前他错过了一个得分的机会。
throw away/pass up/turn down a chance (=not accept or use an opportunity) 放过/错过/拒绝机会
nImagine throwing up a chance to go to America!
welcome the chance to do something 欣然接受做某事的机会
nI’d welcome the chance to discuss the problem with someone.
deserve a chance 应该有机会
nEvery kid deserves a chance in life.
blow a chance informal (=have a special opportunity and fail to use it) 浪费机会
nHe thought he’d blown his chance of happiness.
adjectives
a second chance/another chance 第二次/再一次机会
The interview went badly, so I didn’t think they would give me a second chance.
面试情况很糟,我相信他们不会再给我机会了。
somebody’s last chance 某人的最后一次机会
This is my last chance to try and pass the exam.
这是我力争通过考试的最后一次机会了。
phrases
the chance of a lifetime (=one that you are very unlikely to have again) 一生难得的机会
If you don’t decide soon, you’ll have missed the chance of a lifetime.
如果你不快点决定,就会错过一生难得的好机会。
now’s your chance spoken (=you have the opportunity to do something now) 现在你的机会来了
You’re not working so now’s your chance to write a book.
你现在不上班,正是你写书的机会。
given the chance/given half a chance (=if there is an opportunity to do something) 如果有机会
Goats will eat anything, given half a chance.
山羊逮到什么就吃什么。
Examples from the Corpus
chance• "Back to School Night" will be a chance for parents to meet their child's teacher.• It's a beautiful building - you should go and see it if you have a chance.• Then the war came and after the war the concert-managers offered me a chance to do all the Mahler symphonies.• He took less of a chance.• That would reduce his chances of missing something almost to nil.• It was her last chance to see him before she left town.• They now have to put up with seeing their young thrown in prison and coming out with little chance of being rehabilitated.• I never got the chance to thank him for all his help.• I wish he'd just give me the chance to explain.• You should take the chance to travel while you are still young.• The chances of such preservation need to be assessed before evidence is destroyed.• The chance of reproducing is high even if the organism is not very efficient.• They are beginning to quietly fancy their chances at Stamford Bridge.
chance of• What do you think our chances of getting that contract are?
chance to do something• Will be get a chance to try out his ideas?• I think we recognize that we still have a chance to be a good team.• I took the class because it was a chance to learn more about computers.• Deutsche once thought about bidding, thought not, and now has a last chance to think again.• A young brainleaped at the chance to know something his superiors did not.• On days like today they get the chance torace it.• And when children are given the chance to read in school, their reading is often followed by an examination.• Everyone is cashing in on the chance to make a little syrup.• She ended up marrying a man who chanced to come by looking for a room.• Well turn to page 35 for your chance to win one of ten great outdoorjackets from Karrimor.
by chance• I met an old friendby chance on the train.• If by chance I'm not in when she calls, can you take a message?• Quite by chance, a TVcrew was filming in the area when the accident happened.• A tourist had filmed the robberyby chance.
chance2 verb
1RISK[transitiveT] to do something that you know involves a risk 冒险做〔某事〕
I wasn’t sure if I’d got quite enough petrol to get me home, but I decided to chance it.
我不知道开车回家汽油够不够,但我决定冒险一试。
We decided not to chance our luck in the storm.
我们决定不去冒险顶着暴风雨出去。
She’d never played before, but she was ready to chance her arm (=take a risk by doing something which may fail).
她以前从未玩过,但她准备冒险试一下。
chance doing something
I decided to stay where I was. I couldn’t chance being seen.
我决定留在原处,我不能冒险被人看到。
2[intransitiveI] literaryCHANCE/BY CHANCE to happen in a way which is not expected and not planned 偶然[碰巧]发生
chance to do something
She chanced to be passing when I came out of the house.
我从屋里出来时她恰巧经过。
It chanced that we both went to Paris that year.
碰巧那一年我们俩都去了巴黎。
3chance on/upon/across somebody/somethingphrasal verbphr v formalCHANCE/BY CHANCEto find something or meet someone when you are not expecting to 偶然发现;偶然遇见
Henry chanced upon some valuable coins in the attic.
亨利无意中在阁楼里发现了一些珍贵的硬币。
Examples from the Corpus
chance on/upon/across • And the policeman wanted to check his facts before deciding to take a chance on a long shot.• It was well taken, like the rest of his scoringchances on a wet, greyafternoon.• He would just have to take a chance on being interrupted.• Some one will probably take a chance on Bryant anyway, Twardzik said.• He had to take a chance on it.• Cauthen could have a majorchance on Spritsail if that horse's poor run at Ascot last week could be ignored.• Five minutes before the break, Jan Molby's pass gave Rob Jones a chance on the edge of the penalty area.• I still had a great chance on the last two holes.
Examples from the Corpus
chance• He chanced it with the bouncers.• There they chanced on the ruins of a temple, where among the broken walls an old monk had established his hermitage.• Before we had received a reply, Fitzroy Maclean chanced to call at my office.• They concealed the horses and made camp among the trees, out of sight of anyone who chanced to pass during the night.
chance it• On the whole he preferred recorded music and the chance it gave for repeatedhearings.• Vincent spoke almost enviously of the miners' darkness, and the chance it gave them to reclaim the light.• If there's any chance it is placenta praevia, it could detach and cause a haemorrhage.• I hoped it would be put to use, though there was a chance it might be just ballast for the journey.• If you want to chance it, the first thing to do is book a venue.• And what a chance it was!• He chanced it with the bouncers.• There was no chance it would be fixed before it would be stripped.
chance to do something• Before we had received a reply, Fitzroy Maclean chanced to call at my office.• Roman would be less likely to spot her now if he chanced to look round.• The industry, under Reagan, had little chance tosave itself.• Herr Schikenader, the formerproprietor, chanced to see me perform one evening.• Dubuque communityleaders were persuaded that a merger of Mercy and Finley offered the best chance tostem growing costs.• A ricocheting bulletchanced to take the front from the cigarettemachine.• I had a good chance totick off 100,000 people.• It probably was his only chance totouch a legend.
chance3adjectiveadj [only before noun]
1CHANCE/BY CHANCEnot planned or expected 偶然的,意外的SYN accidental
chance meeting/encounter/event etc
A chance meeting with a journalist changed everything.
和一位新闻记者的不期而遇改变了一切。
A chance remark by one of his colleagues got him thinking.
chance meeting/encounter/event etc• Her chance encounter 16 years ago with Neumaier and Luther joined her world with two others.• She arranges that Agnes and Weston no longer have the opportunity of chance meetings.• From Honk Kong comes a confusingromance about chance encounters between lovesick cops and unusual women.• These occasionalchance encounters could not in any way be said to constitute a satisfactoryemotional life.• A chance encounter in a restaurant is a prospect.• To quote Lautréamont: Beautiful as the chance encounter of a sewing machine and an umbrella upon an operatingtable.• It might be argued that political gladiators are no different than other people but that certainchance eventspropel them into activism.
From Longman Business Dictionary
chancechance /tʃɑːnstʃæns/ noun [uncountableU]
COMMERCEthe risk always present in certain business activities and accepted by business people
Every commercial business is subject to chance or risk.
Originchance1
(1200-1300)Old FrenchVulgar Latincadentia“fall”, from Latincadere“to fall”