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odds

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noun [plural] British English pronunciation: odds /ɒdz/
  1. 1
    the chances of something happening
    the odds of doing something:

    The odds of getting hit by a falling satellite are very small.

    (the) odds are (that) (=it is likely that):

    The odds are they won’t succeed.

    the odds are in favour of something/(stacked) against something (=it is likely/unlikely to happen):

    The odds were always in favour of a South African victory.

    the odds are in someone’s favour/(stacked) against someone (=they are likely/unlikely to succeed):

    The odds were stacked against him, but he never gave up.

    What are the odds...?:

    What are the odds Jim will show up this time?

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  oddsThesaurus entry for this meaning of odds
  2. 2
    the chances that are used for calculating how much money you will get if the person or thing you bet on wins a race or competition

    I didn’t bet on the horse because I didn’t like the odds.

    give/lay/offer (someone) odds of something:

    They’re giving odds of 5–1 against a knockout in the first round.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  oddsThesaurus entry for this meaning of odds
  3. 3
    difficulties or conditions that make success unlikely

    Left alone, they were fighting against overwhelming odds.

    against all (the) odds:

    Against all the odds, we won our case on appeal.

    Thesaurus entry for this meaning of  oddsThesaurus entry for this meaning of odds

phrases

This is the British English definition of odds. View American English definition of odds.

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