Definition of By chance

1. Adverb. Through chance,. "To sleep, perchance to dream.."

Exact synonyms: Perchance
Language type: Archaicism, Archaism

2. Adverb. By accident. "Betrayed by a word haply overheard"
Exact synonyms: By Luck, Haply

3. Adverb. Without advance planning. "They met accidentally"
Exact synonyms: Accidentally, Circumstantially, Unexpectedly
Antonyms: Deliberately
Partainyms: Unexpected

Definition of By chance

1. Prepositional phrase. Accidental(ly) or unexpected(ly). ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Lexicographical Neighbors of By Chance

by-your-leaves
by George
by God
by Jove
by a long shot
by a whisker
by accident
by all accounts
by all means
by all odds
by and by
by and large
by any chance
by any means
by artificial means
by chance (current term)
by choice
by choice(p)
by committee
by default
by definition
by degrees
by design
by dint of
by ear
by election
by experimentation
by far
by fits and starts
by foot

Literary usage of By chance

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire by Edward Gibbon (1831)
"He wae exalted on a shield in the presence, and amidst the unanimous acclamations of the troops ; a rich military collar, which was offered by chance, ..."

2. Education by Project Innovation (Organization) (1915)
"To taste the joys of successful work it must have been possible for him to have failed in all three. by chance BY CLARA J. ..."

3. Modern British Poetry by Louis Untermeyer (1920)
"Thomas was killed at Arras, at an observatory outpost, on Easter Monday, 1917. IF I SHOULD EVER by chance If I should ever by chance grow rich I'll buy ..."

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