See chance'd be a fine thing on Wiktionary
{
"etymology_text": "An ellipsis of even having a chance [to do so / at that] would be a fine thing and similar ideas, in reference to something that is either completely impossible or currently forbidden by circumstances, higher authorities, etc., originally chiefly with regard to opportunities to have sex or get married.",
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"examples": [
{
"ref": "1912, Stanley Houghton, Hindle Wakes, act I, scene i:",
"text": "Mrs Hawthon: Why didn't you get wed if you were so curious? There's plenty would have had you.\nFanny: Chance is a fine thing. Happen I wouldn't have had them!\nMrs Hawthorn: Happen you'll be sorry for it before long. There's not so many will have you now, if this gets about.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2009 September 18, Jesse Armstrong & al., Peep Show, Season 6, Episode 1",
"text": "Come on. You're management, Corrigan. Get it sorted.\nRight. Chance would be a fine thing. [VO] That's a thing people say, isn't it...\nMark, can't you reset it?\nChance would be a fine thing, Lisa.\nI know what you should do. Coffee run. Corrigan, 200 lattes.\nGood, good one Jeff. Chance would be a fine thing, a fine thing indeed. [VO] Hmm. Saying that too often now."
},
{
"ref": "2012 September 23, Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey, Season 3, Episode 2",
"text": "Dr Clarkson: Sit down and put your feet up if you can.\nMrs Patmore: Oh, chance'd be a fine thing."
},
{
"text": "Me winning the lotto? Chance'd be a fine thing.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude."
],
"id": "en-chance'd_be_a_fine_thing-en-phrase-53zWCUjw",
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"fat chance",
"fat chance"
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[
"somewhat",
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],
[
"cheerful",
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],
"raw_glosses": [
"(British, idiomatic) Synonym of no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude."
],
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],
"word": "no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude"
},
{
"word": "one should be so lucky"
},
{
"word": "one should live so long"
},
{
"word": "chance is a fine thing"
},
{
"word": "chance's a fine thing"
},
{
"word": "chance would be a fine thing"
}
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"word": "chance'd be a fine thing"
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{
"etymology_text": "An ellipsis of even having a chance [to do so / at that] would be a fine thing and similar ideas, in reference to something that is either completely impossible or currently forbidden by circumstances, higher authorities, etc., originally chiefly with regard to opportunities to have sex or get married.",
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"examples": [
{
"ref": "1912, Stanley Houghton, Hindle Wakes, act I, scene i:",
"text": "Mrs Hawthon: Why didn't you get wed if you were so curious? There's plenty would have had you.\nFanny: Chance is a fine thing. Happen I wouldn't have had them!\nMrs Hawthorn: Happen you'll be sorry for it before long. There's not so many will have you now, if this gets about.",
"type": "quote"
},
{
"ref": "2009 September 18, Jesse Armstrong & al., Peep Show, Season 6, Episode 1",
"text": "Come on. You're management, Corrigan. Get it sorted.\nRight. Chance would be a fine thing. [VO] That's a thing people say, isn't it...\nMark, can't you reset it?\nChance would be a fine thing, Lisa.\nI know what you should do. Coffee run. Corrigan, 200 lattes.\nGood, good one Jeff. Chance would be a fine thing, a fine thing indeed. [VO] Hmm. Saying that too often now."
},
{
"ref": "2012 September 23, Julian Fellowes, Downton Abbey, Season 3, Episode 2",
"text": "Dr Clarkson: Sit down and put your feet up if you can.\nMrs Patmore: Oh, chance'd be a fine thing."
},
{
"text": "Me winning the lotto? Chance'd be a fine thing.",
"type": "example"
}
],
"glosses": [
"Synonym of no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude."
],
"links": [
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],
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],
[
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],
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"raw_glosses": [
"(British, idiomatic) Synonym of no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude."
],
"synonyms": [
{
"tags": [
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],
"word": "no chance or fat chance with a somewhat more cheerful attitude"
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}
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"synonyms": [
{
"word": "one should be so lucky"
},
{
"word": "one should live so long"
},
{
"word": "chance is a fine thing"
},
{
"word": "chance's a fine thing"
},
{
"word": "chance would be a fine thing"
}
],
"word": "chance'd be a fine thing"
}
Download raw JSONL data for chance'd be a fine thing meaning in All languages combined (3.0kB)
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable All languages combined dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-12-08 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-12-04 using wiktextract (bb46d54 and 0c3c9f6). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
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