Adjacent Words

Odds definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

ODDS, n. s as z. [It is used both in the singular and plural.]
1. Inequality; excess of either compared with the other; difference in favor of one and against another.
Preeminent by so much odds.
In this example, much marks the singular number, and many cannot be used.
Cromwell, with odds of number and of fate -
All the odds between them has been the different scope given to their understandings to range in.
Judging is balancing an account and determining on which side the odds lie.
There appeared at least four to one odds against them.
2. Advantage; superiority.
3. Quarrel; dispute; debate.
It is odds, more likely than the contrary. It is odds that he will find a shrewd temptation.
At odds, in dispute; at variance; in controversy or quarrel.
That sets us all at odds.
Or they must always be at odds.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: the likelihood of a thing occurring rather than not occurring
2: the ratio by which one better's wager is greater than that of another; "he offered odds of two to one" [syn: odds, betting odds]

Merriam Webster's

noun plural but singular or plural in construction Date: circa 1520 1. a. archaic inequalities b. obsolete degree of unlikeness 2. a. an amount by which one thing exceeds or falls short of another <won the election by considerable odds> b. (1) a difference favoring one of two opposed things <overwhelming odds> (2) a difference in terms of advantage or disadvantage <what's the odds, if thinking so makes them happy — Flora Thompson> c. (1) the probability that one thing is so or will happen rather than another ; chances <the odds are against it> (2) the ratio of the probability of one event to that of an alternative event 3. disagreement, variance — usually used with at <faculty and administration often are at odds on everything — W. E. Brock b1930> 4. a. special favor ; partiality b. an allowance granted by one making a bet to one accepting the bet and designed to equalize the chances favoring one of the bettors c. the ratio between the amount to be paid off for a winning bet and the amount of the bet

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n.pl. 1 the ratio between the amounts staked by the parties to a bet, based on the expected probability either way. 2 the chances or balance of probability in favour of or against some result (the odds are against it; the odds are that it will rain). 3 the balance of advantage (the odds are in your favour; won against all the odds). 4 an equalizing allowance to a weaker competitor. 5 a difference giving an advantage (it makes no odds). Phrases and idioms: at odds (often foll. by with) in conflict or at variance. by all odds certainly. lay (or give) odds offer a bet with odds favourable to the other better. odds and ends miscellaneous articles or remnants. odds-on a state when success is more likely than failure, esp. as indicated by the betting odds. over the odds above a generally agreed price etc. take odds offer a bet with odds unfavourable to the other better. what's the odds? colloq. what does it matter? Etymology: app. pl. of ODD n.: cf. NEWS

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Odds Odds ([o^]dz), n. sing. & pl. [See Odd, a.] 1. Difference in favor of one and against another; excess of one of two things or numbers over the other; inequality; advantage; superiority; hence, excess of chances; probability. ``Pre["e]minent by so much odds.'' --Milton. ``The fearful odds of that unequal fray.'' --Trench. The odds Is that we scarce are men and you are gods. --Shak. There appeared, at least, four to one odds against them. --Swift. All the odds between them has been the different scope . . . given to their understandings to range in. --Locke. Judging is balancing an account and determining on which side the odds lie. --Locke. 2. Quarrel; dispute; debate; strife; -- chiefly in the phrase at odds. Set them into confounding odds. --Shak. I can not speak Any beginning to this peevish odds. --Shak. At odds, in dispute; at variance. ``These squires at odds did fall.'' --Spenser. ``He flashes into one gross crime or other, that sets us all at odds.'' --Shak. It is odds, it is probable. [Obs.]

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

1. You refer to how likely something is to happen as the odds that it will happen. What are the odds of finding a parking space right outside the door?... The odds are that you are going to fail. N-PLURAL: usu the N see also odds-on 2. In betting, odds are expressions with numbers such as '10 to 1' and '7 to 2' that show how likely something is thought to be, for example how likely a particular horse is to lose or win a race. Gavin Jones, who put £25 on Eugene, at odds of 50 to 1, has won £1,250. N-PLURAL 3. If someone is at odds with someone else, or if two people are at odds, they are disagreeing or quarrelling with each other. He was at odds with his Prime Minister... An adviser said there was no reason why the two countries should remain at odds. PHRASE: usu v-link PHR, oft PHR with n 4. If you say that the odds are against something or someone, you mean that they are unlikely to succeed. He reckoned the odds are against the scheme going ahead... PHRASE: V inflects, PHR n 5. If something happens against all odds, it happens or succeeds although it seemed impossible or very unlikely. Some women do manage to achieve business success against all odds... PHRASE: PHR with cl 6. If you say that the odds are in someone's favour, you mean that they are likely to succeed in what they are doing. His troops will only engage in a ground battle when all the odds are in their favour. PHRASE: V inflects 7. To shorten the odds on something happening means to make it more likely to happen. To lengthen the odds means to make it less likely to happen. You can also say that the odds shorten or lengthen. His reception there shortened the odds that he might be the next Tory leader. PHRASE: V inflects

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. sing. and pl. 1. Difference, disparity, inequality. 2. Probability. 3. Advantage, superiority, supremacy.

Moby Thesaurus

advantage, agreement to disagree, allowance, aptitude, asymmetry, at daggers drawn, at loggerheads, at odds, at variance, bulge, chance, chances, clashing, coign of vantage, conflicting, contrariety, contrast, cross-purposes, deadwood, debris, departure, deviation, difference, difference of opinion, differing, difficulty, disaccord, disaccordance, disagreeing, disagreement, disconformity, discongruity, discordance, discrepancy, discreteness, disequilibrium, disparity, disproportion, dissent, dissimilarity, dissonance, distinction, distinctness, divergence, divergency, diversity, dividedness, division, draw, drop, edge, equivalent odds, even break, even chance, expectation, fair expectation, fair shake, far cry, favorable prospect, fifty-fifty, flying start, fragments, good chance, half a chance, handicap, head start, heterogeneity, hundred-to-one shot, imbalance, in disagreement, in opposition, inaccordance, inadequacy, incompatibility, incongruity, inconsistency, inconsonance, inequality, inequity, inharmonious, inharmoniousness, inharmony, injustice, inside track, insufficiency, irreconcilability, irregularity, jump, lead, leavings, leftovers, liability, likelihood, likeliness, litter, long odds, long shot, misunderstanding, mixture, no chance, nonconformity, nonuniformity, oddments, odds and ends, opposition, otherness, out of line, outlook, overbalance, particles, polarization, presumption, presumptive evidence, price, probabilism, probability, prospect, reasonable ground, reasonable hope, rubbish, running start, scraps, separateness, short odds, shortcoming, shreds, small chance, something extra, something in reserve, square odds, standoff, start, superiority, tendency, toss, toss-up, touch and go, unbalance, unconformity, unevenness, unfair discrimination, unlikeness, unorthodoxy, upper hand, vantage, vantage ground, vantage point, variance, variation, variegation, variety, verisimilitude, well-grounded hope, whip hand