“By Chance” means without being planned or intended, or without a known cause. Use it for accidental or unplanned occurrence; “by any chance” is a different expression often used to soften a question or request.
ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionPhrases & Idioms
Quick answer
Means without being planned or intended, or without a known cause
Key details
Canonical FormBy Chance
Core Meaningmeans without being planned or intended, or without a known cause
Further guidance
History Boundary
This guide explains documented current meaning and does not claim a single inventor, exact coinage date, or absolute first use without direct evidence.
Meaning
means without being planned or intended, or without a known cause
Usage Boundary
Use it for accidental or unplanned occurrence; “by any chance” is a different expression often used to soften a question or request.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
“Down to the Wire” means to continue or remain undecided until the last possible moment. Use it for a deadline, contest, negotiation, or other situation whose action or result extends very close to the end.
“Out of the blue” describes something that happens unexpectedly. This guide records the current dictionary meaning without claiming an exact origin date.
The informal idiom “not have a snowball’s chance in hell” describes a situation with essentially no chance of success. This guide limits the page to the current form, register, and meaning supported by Cambridge and does not add an unsupported origin story.
Categorized by Order Size is a current Regulation NMS defined term. This guide keeps the reporting classification tied to the enumerated rule buckets rather than informal size labels.
Categorized by Order Type is a current Regulation NMS defined term. This guide preserves the rule’s specific order-type classification rather than replacing it with a simplified trading glossary.
Categorized by Security is a current Regulation NMS defined term. This guide keeps the meaning limited to the report-level separation of orders by each included NMS stock.
“Hang by a Thread” describes a serious situation that is extremely precarious, where a small change could lead to failure or another bad result. This guide publishes the current dictionary-supported idiomatic meaning and keeps exact origin, inventor, coinage, and absolute first-use claims unpublished without chronology-grade evidence.
“Play it by ear” means to decide how to handle a situation as it develops instead of relying on a plan made in advance. The guide explains the current idiomatic meaning without asserting an exact origin date.
