Topic vocabulary: Chance |
| approximate (v) |
to calculate something in a way that is not exact |
The journey was approximated to take about seven hours. |
| approximate (adj) |
not exact, but close to an exact amount number time, etc |
The approximate time of the incident was 7:30. |
| ascribe (v) |
to believe something is the cause of something else |
The failure of the business was ascribed to events beyond anyone's control. |
| assign (v) |
to send someone to a particular place, especially in order for them to work there |
I've been assigned to the office in Manchester. |
| attribute (v) |
to believe that something is the result of a particular situation, event or person's actions |
Police attributed the accident to the bad weather. |
| blow (n) |
an event that causes you to feel very sad, disappointed or shocked |
Failing to get into university was a real blow. |
| cause (v) |
to make something happen, usually something bad |
What caused the building to collapse? |
| cause (n) |
an event, thing or person that makes something happen |
The cause of the fire still hasn't been found. |
| coincidence (n) |
a situation in which separate things happen by chance at the same time or in the same way |
It's just a coincidence that Sandra and I were both in New York at the same time. |
| curse (v) |
to use magic powers to make bad things happen to someone |
I have such bad luck that sometimes I think I've been cursed. |
| curse (n) |
a bad situation or event caused by someone's deliberate use of their magic powers |
They say that there's a curse on whoever steals anything from the pyramids. |
| deliberate (adj) |
intended, not done by chance or by accident |
I'm sure what she did wasn't deliberate. |
| determine (v) |
to calculate something or discover it by examining evidence |
Investigators have determined that the crash was the result of human error. |
| fate (n) |
a power that some people believe controls everything that happens in their lives |
I like to just leave things to fate. |
| fluctuate (v) |
to change frequently |
The price of gold has fluctuated quite a lot in recent months. |
| foresee (v) |
to see or know something that will happen in the future |
We don't foresee any problems. |
| freak (n) |
something with very unusual features that make it very different from other things of its type |
People think I'm a bit of a freak because I like silent films. |
| freak (adj) |
extremely unusual and unexpected |
Some people were injured in a freak storm. |
| gamble (v) |
to risk money or something valuable in the hope of winning more 1f you are lucky or if you guess something correctly |
I never gamble what I can't afford to lose. |
| haphazard (adj) |
done in a way that does not seem to be carefully planned or organised |
The town seems to have grown in quite a haphazard way. |
| hazard (n) |
something that could be dangerous or cause damage or accidents |
Dad suddenly braked because he saw a hazard in the road. |
| inadvertent (adj) |
not deliberate |
Not inviting William was entirely inadvertent, I assure you. |
| instrumental (adj) |
involved in an important way in making something happen |
He was instrumental in saving the company. |
| jinxed (adj) |
someone or something that is jinxed has a lot of bad luck |
You must be jinxed if you've been hit by lightning three times. |
| likelihood (n) |
how certain it is that something will happen |
The likelihood of success is quite low. |
| lucky charm (n phr) |
something that people believe brings them luck |
I always take my lucky charm into the exam with me. |
| meander (v) |
to move slowly without a particular direction or purpose in mind |
We meandered around the park. |
| mishap (n) |
a minor mistake or accident |
We had a few mishaps on the way, but at least we're here now. |
| mutate (v) |
to become physically different from other plants or animals of the same type as a result of a genetic change |
Radiation has caused plants in the area to mutate. |
| odds (n) |
the chances of something happening |
What are the odds on winning the lottery? |
| pick (v) |
to choose someone or something from a group |
Mrs Kay picked me to help her give out the books. |
| pick (n) |
choice |
We've got lots of different bikes for sale, so take your pick. |
| pot luck (n phr) |
a situation in which you do not know what to expect, but you hope that it will be good |
You can't predict the weather in Britain in the summer, so it's just pot luck what it'll be like for our holiday. |
| random (adj) |
chosen or happening without any particular method, pattern or purpose |
Think of a random number. |
| sign (n) |
a piece of evidence that something is happening or that something exists |
There were signs that someone had been there before us. |
| speculate (v) |
to consider or discuss why something has happened |
He refused to speculate on what might happen. |
| spontaneous (adj) |
happening in a natural way without being planned or thought about |
Leaving my job was a spontaneous thing. |
| startle (v) |
to make a person or animal feel suddenly frightened or surprised by doing something they do not expect |
Liam startled me when he suddenly appeared next to me. |
| statistics (n) |
a group of numbers that represent facts or describe a situation |
But the statistics simply don't support that view. |
| stray (v) |
to move away from the correct place or path |
Little Red Riding Hood's grandmother warned her not to stray from the path. |
| stray (adj) |
lost or without a home |
The number of stray dogs is becoming a real problem. |
| stray (n) |
a pet that is lost or has left its home |
There are too many strays around here. |
| superstition (n) |
a belief that things such as magic or luck have the power to affect your life |
You don't believe that old superstition about the number 13, do you? |
| superstitious (adj) |
believing in the power of magic or luck |
I'm quite superstitious, so I never walk under ladders. |
| transpire (v) |
to happen |
Perhaps we will never know what transpired that night. |
| uncertainty (n) |
the fact that something is not known or has not been decided |
The passengers began to get angry because of the uncertainty. |
| wobble (v) |
to rock slightly from side to side, or to make something do this |
The statue wobbled and then fell over. |
