cheque
cheque
Pronunciation
chance /tʃæns/
Syllable 1: /tʃæns/
Word Form Variations
Singular Noun: chance
Plural Noun: chances
Verb (Base Form): chance
Verb (Third Person Singular Present): chances
Verb (Present Participle): chancing
Verb (Past Simple & Past Participle): chanced
Adjective: chance (less common, often used attributively, e.g., "a chance encounter")
Definitions, Synonyms and Antonyms
Noun
Definition 1: A possibility or likelihood of something happening, especially something fortunate or desirable.
Synonyms: opportunity, prospect, possibility, fortune, luck
Antonyms: certainty, impossibility, surety, misfortune
Definition 2: The occurrence and development of events without apparent design, necessity, or discoverable cause; pure accident.
Synonyms: accident, fate, destiny, serendipity, coincidence
Antonyms: design, plan, intention, purpose, premeditation
Definition 3: A gamble or risk taken in the hope of a favorable outcome.
Synonyms: wager, bet, risk, speculation, flutter
Antonyms: security, certainty, guarantee, safety
Verb
Definition 1: To do something despite the risk, or to take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome.
Synonyms: risk, hazard, venture, dare, speculate
Antonyms: avoid, refrain, abstain, retreat, play it safe
Definition 2: To happen or occur by accident or without prior intention.
Synonyms: occur, happen, transpire, befall, arise
Antonyms: plan, orchestrate, design, contrive, intend
Adjective
Definition: Occurring or happening by accident or without design; unplanned or unexpected.
Synonyms: accidental, random, fortuitous, unexpected, unplanned
Antonyms: intentional, deliberate, planned, purposeful, premeditated
Examples of Use
Books:
"So it goes. But if you give me a chance to choose, I'd rather choose the latter." (Haruki Murakami, Norwegian Wood, October 1987)
"But then, she thought, there was always the chance that he might be right, that there was a natural order to things..." (Toni Morrison, Beloved, September 1987)
"He knew he had only one chance to escape, and he had to take it." (Lee Child, Killing Floor, March 1997)
Newspapers:
"Scientists say there's a good chance of significant rainfall this week, which would help alleviate drought conditions." (Reuters, The Guardian)
"The opposition party called for a fresh election, stating it was their only chance to truly represent the will of the people." (The New York Times)
Online Publications:
"Is Taylor Swift's 'Eras Tour' Movie Your Last Chance to See the Show in Theaters?" (Rolling Stone)
"Experts weigh in on whether cryptocurrency has a chance of replacing traditional currencies in the long run." (Forbes)
"A new study suggests that taking a brief walk during the workday can greatly reduce your chance of developing certain health issues." (WebMD)
Entertainment Mediums and Platforms:
Film: "Here's looking at you, kid. You'll get another chance." (Casablanca, January 1943)
Television Series: "I just need one more chance to prove myself." (Dialogue from Ted Lasso, Season 2, August 2021)
Music (Song Title/Lyric): "Give peace a chance." (John Lennon, Give Peace a Chance, July 1969)
Video Game: "You have one chance to complete this mission. Don't fail." (In-game dialogue from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, November 2023)
Podcast: "On today's episode, we discuss the slim chance of a manned mission to Mars in the next decade." (Stuff You Should Know, June 2024)
General Public Discourse:
"I really hope I get a chance to visit Japan next year." (Casual conversation)
"Do you think there's any chance of us finishing this project by Friday?" (Work meeting)
"He took a big chance investing all his savings in that startup." (Discussion among friends)
"It was pure chance that we ran into each other at the airport." (Everyday conversation)
10 Quotes Using Cheque
"Chance favors the prepared mind." (Louis Pasteur)
"Take a chance! All life is a chance. The man who goes farthest is generally the one who is willing to do and dare." (Dale Carnegie)
"I've found that luck is quite predictable. If you want more luck, take more chances. Be more active. Show up more often." (Brian Tracy)
"You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." (Wayne Gretzky) - While not explicitly using "chance," this quote is universally understood to be about taking a chance.
"Our lives improve only when we take chances - and the first and most difficult risk we can take is to be honest with ourselves." (Walter Anderson)
"Beware of missing chances; otherwise it may be altogether too late some day." (Franz Liszt)
"Nothing important was ever achieved without someone taking a chance." (H. Jackson Brown Jr.)
"Take chances, make mistakes. That's how you grow." (Mary Tyler Moore)
"The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks." (Mark Zuckerberg) - While not explicitly using "chance," this quote directly addresses the concept of taking a chance or a risk.
"There is no such thing as no chance." (Henry Ford)
Etymology
The word "chance" has a fascinating journey through languages!
It comes to us from Old French, specifically from the word "cheance" or "chaunce." This Old French word meant things like "fortune" or "luck."
But if we go even further back, the roots of "cheance" are in Late Latin, from the word "cadentia." This Latin word literally meant "a falling," and it came from the verb "cadere," meaning "to fall."
So, how did "a falling" turn into "luck" or "fortune"? It's thought to be connected to the falling of dice in games of chance! Imagine rolling dice – the way they fall determines your luck, good or bad.
The first known use of "chance" in English was around 1297. At that time, its original meaning was quite broad, referring to "something that takes place, what happens, an occurrence" (which could be good or bad, but often implied something unexpected or beyond human control). It also had a sense of "one's luck, lot, or fortune."
Over time, the meaning evolved to strongly emphasize the ideas of "opportunity" and "randomness," which are the main ways we use the word today.
Phrases + Idioms Containing Cheque
By chance: Accidentally or unexpectedly.
Take a chance: To risk doing something.
Give someone a second chance: To allow someone another opportunity after a failure.
A fighting chance: A reasonable possibility of success, especially against odds.
Not a snowball's chance in hell: No possibility at all (a very slim or impossible chance).
Jump at the chance: To eagerly take an opportunity.
Fat chance: Little or no possibility (often used sarcastically).
Leave nothing to chance: To plan or prepare thoroughly, so that nothing is left to luck.
On the off chance: With a very small possibility; hoping for something unlikely.
Stand a chance: To have a possibility of success.
Vocabulary-Based Stories from SEA
Source Information
Definition of cheque from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
