bechance

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈt͡ʃæns/, /bɪˈt͡ʃɑːns/
• Rhymes: -æns, -ɑːns

Etymology 1

From be- +‎ chance.

Verb

bechance (third-person singular simple present bechances, present participle bechancing, simple past and past participle bechanced)

1. (intransitive) To happen; chance.
2. (transitive, archaic) To happen (to); befall to.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:

     Disturb his hours of rest with restless trances,
     Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans;
     Let there bechance him pitiful mischances,
     To make him moan; but pity not his moans:
     Stone him with harden'd hearts, harder than stones

Synonyms

• (to happen) come to pass, occur, transpire; See also Thesaurus:happen
• (to happen to)

Etymology 2

From be- (“by”) +‎ chance.

Adverb

bechance (not comparable)

1. Accidentally; by chance.
   • 1569, Richard Grafton, A Chronicle at Large, and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande, […], London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye, →OCLC; republished in Grafton’s Chronicle; or, History of England. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: […] [George Woodfall] for J[oseph] Johnson;  […], 1809, →OCLC:

     at the last battayle of, where we bechaunce lost our souereigne lorde