Talk:chance
If one had the opportunity to do something (usually something that one would eagerly do). --Backinstadiums (talk) 15:56, 9 June 2020 (UTC)
never had a chance[edit]
I can't easily fit this phrase into one of the noun definitions on this page, perhaps a problem of imagination on my part.
You can say "I never had a chance (an opportunity) to meet with x before they died." or similar. That sentence could be shortened in a dialogue: "Did you ever get to meet with him?" "I never had a chance (an opportunity) to."
But there's another way to use the phrase "never had a chance" that seems different to my mind, because I can't so easily substitute in the synonym 'opportunity' or 'possibility'. In the following example, Richard L. Jenkins has just been killed without even getting the chance to fire a shot back at his attackers, and his squad mate is commenting on Jenkins' passing.
- 2008, BioWare, Mass Effect, Redwood City: Electronic Arts, →ISBN, →OCLC, PC, scene: Eden Prime Codex entry:
- Kaidan: Ripped right through his shields. Never had a chance.
I guess you can say this phrase hyper-technically means 'Ripped right through his shields. Due to the underlying situation, Jenkins unfortunately didn't have the possibility to prevent this tragic outcome.' But to my mind, you certainly couldn't say 'Ripped right through his shields. Never had an opportunity.'
I don't know if I'm hitting on some kind of colloquialism or some definition variant or am perhaps just confused. --Geographyinitiative (talk) 01:51, 15 February 2022 (UTC)
- Yes, it's more like a snowball's chance in hell or cat in hell's chance. Sometimes specifically implies "a chance to win or survive". Equinox ◑ 01:55, 15 February 2022 (UTC)