Accident vs. Chance — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Accident and Chance
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Accident
An accident is an unintended, normally unwanted event that was not directly caused by humans. The term accident implies that nobody should be blamed, but the event may have been caused by unrecognized or unaddressed risks.
Chance
The unknown and unpredictable element in happenings that seems to have no assignable cause.
Accident
An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury
If you are unable to work owing to accident or sickness
He had an accident at the factory
Chance
A force assumed to cause events that cannot be foreseen or controlled; luck
Chance will determine the outcome.
Accident
An event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause
The pregnancy was an accident
It is no accident that Manchester has produced more than its fair share of professional comics
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Chance
Often chances The likelihood of something happening; possibility or probability
Chances are good that you will win. Is there any chance of rain?.
Accident
(in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature.
Chance
An accidental or unpredictable event
"He sprang to his feet and turned to run. At the same moment by a lucky chance the moon broke through the clouds" (Arthur Conan Doyle).
Accident
An unexpected and undesirable event, especially one resulting in damage or harm
An accident on the assembly line.
Car accidents on icy roads.
Chance
A favorable set of circumstances; an opportunity
A chance to escape.
Accident
An unforeseen event that is not the result of intention or has no apparent cause
A series of happy accidents led to his promotion.
Chance
A risk or hazard; a gamble
Took a chance that the ice would hold me.
Accident
An instance of involuntary urination or defecation.
Chance
(Games) A raffle or lottery ticket.
Accident
Lack of intention; chance
Ran into an old friend by accident.
Chance
(Baseball) An opportunity to make a putout or an assist that counts as an error if unsuccessful.
Accident
(Philosophy) An attribute of a substance that is not essential to its nature.
Chance
Caused by or ascribable to chance; unexpected, random, or casual
A chance encounter.
A chance result.
Accident
An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.
To die by an accident such as an act of God
Act of God
Chance
To take the risk or hazard of
We thought we could jump over the puddle, but we were not willing to chance it.
Accident
(legal) casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.
Chance
To have the fortune (to be or do something); happen
"My eye chanced to fall on the wizened houseplant on the windowsill" (Elisabeth Brink).
Accident
(transportation) A collision or crash of a vehicle, aircraft, or other form of transportation that causes damage to the transportation involved; and sometimes injury or death to the transportation's occupants or bystanders in close proximity.
There was a huge accident on I5 involving 15 automobiles.
My insurance went up after the second accident in three months.
Chance
Used with the impersonal subject it and a following clause or infinitive to indicate the occurrence of a usually unexpected or chance event
"Now it chanced that this car-line was owned by gentlemen who were trying to make money" (Upton Sinclair).
Accident
Any chance event.
Chance
(countable) An opportunity or possibility.
We had the chance to meet the president last week.
Accident
(uncountable) Chance; random chance.
Chance
(uncountable) Random occurrence; luck.
Why leave it to chance when a few simple steps will secure the desired outcome?
Accident
Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.
Beauty is an accident.
Lexical gaps are called accidental because their existence is by accident; it is not essential.
Chance
(countable) The probability of something happening.
There is a 30 percent chance of rain tomorrow.
Accident
(grammar) A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, such as gender, number, or case.
Chance
(in plural as chances) probability; possibility.
Accident
(euphemistic) An instance of incontinence.
Chance
What befalls or happens to a person; their lot or fate.
Accident
Urine or feces excreted due to incontinence.
Chance
Happening by chance, casual.
Accident
(euphemistic) An unintended pregnancy.
Chance
(obsolete) Perchance; perhaps.
Accident
A person born from an unintended pregnancy.
Taylor was our sweet little accident, and we're so glad!
Well I may be annoying but at least I'm not an accident like you are
Chance
To happen by chance, to occur.
It chanced that I found a solution the very next day.
Accident
(geology) An irregular surface feature with no apparent cause.
Chance
To befall; to happen to.
Accident
(geology) A sudden discontinuity of ground such as fault of great thickness, bed or lentil of unstable ground.{{cite book|
Chance
To try or risk.
Shall we carry the umbrella, or chance a rainstorm?
Accident
(heraldry) A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
Chance
To discover something by chance.
He chanced upon a kindly stranger who showed him the way.
Accident
(transportation) Designating any form of transportation involved in an accident.
The NTSB report revealed that the accident airplane was a Cessna 172.
Chance
(Belize) To rob, cheat or swindle someone.
The car broke down a week after I bought it. I was chanced by that fast-talking salesman.
Accident
Literally, a befalling; an event that takes place without one's foresight or expectation; an undesigned, sudden, and unexpected event; chance; contingency; often, an undesigned and unforeseen occurrence of an afflictive or unfortunate character; a casualty; a mishap; as, to die by an accident.
Of moving accidents by flood and field.
Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident:It is the very place God meant for thee.
Chance
A supposed material or psychical agent or mode of activity other than a force, law, or purpose; fortune; fate; - in this sense often personified.
It is strictly and philosophically true in nature and reason that there is no such thing as chance or accident; it being evident that these words do not signify anything really existing, anything that is truly an agent or the cause of any event; but they signify merely men's ignorance of the real and immediate cause.
Any society into which chance might throw him.
That powerWhich erring men call Chance.
Accident
A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, as gender, number, case.
Chance
The operation or activity of such agent.
By chance a priest came down that way.
Accident
A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
Chance
The supposed effect of such an agent; something that befalls, as the result of unknown or unconsidered forces; the issue of uncertain conditions; an event not calculated upon; an unexpected occurrence; a happening; accident; fortuity; casualty.
In the field of observation, chance favors only the mind that is prepared.
It was a chance that happened to us.
The Knave of Diamonds tries his wily arts,And wins (O shameful chance!) the Queen of Hearts.
I spake of most disastrous chance.
Accident
A property or quality of a thing which is not essential to it, as whiteness in paper; an attribute.
Chance
A possibility; a likelihood; an opportunity; - with reference to a doubtful result; as, a chance to escape; a chance for life; the chances are all against him.
So weary with disasters, tugged with fortune.That I would get my life on any chance,To mend it, or be rid on 't
Accident
Any accidental property, fact, or relation; an accidental or nonessential; as, beauty is an accident.
This accident, as I call it, of Athens being situated some miles from the sea.
Chance
Probability.
Accident
Unusual appearance or effect.
Chance
To happen, come, or arrive, without design or expectation.
If a bird's nest chance to be before thee.
I chanced on this letter.
How chance, thou art returned so soon?
Accident
A mishap; especially one causing injury or death
Chance
To take the chances of; to venture upon; - usually with it as object.
Come what will, I will chance it.
Accident
Anything that happens by chance without an apparent cause
Chance
To befall; to happen to.
Chance
Happening by chance; casual.
Chance
By chance; perchance.
Chance
A possibility due to a favorable combination of circumstances;
The holiday gave us the opportunity to visit Washington
Now is your chance
Chance
An unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another;
Bad luck caused his downfall
We ran into each other by pure chance
Chance
A risk involving danger;
You take a chance when you let her drive
Chance
A measure of how likely it is that some event will occur;
What is the probability of rain?
We have a good chance of winning
Chance
Be the case by chance;
I chanced to meet my old friend in the street
Chance
Take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome;
When you buy these stocks you are gambling
Chance
Come upon, as if by accident; meet with;
We find this idea in Plato
I happened upon the most wonderful bakery not very far from here
She chanced upon an interesting book in the bookstore the other day
Chance
Occurring or appearing or singled out by chance;
Their accidental meeting led to a renewal of their friendship
Seek help from casual passers-by
A casual meeting
A chance occurrence
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