ENGLISH
REFERENCE

odds

n. uncountable
C1 Advanced Oxford US //ˈɑdz// UK //ˈɒdz// odds

n. the chance or likelihood that something will happen. It is often used to talk about how difficult a task is or to describe gambling prizes.

n. the ratio between the probability that an event will occur and the probability that it will not. Often used to express the likelihood of a particular outcome in competitive or uncertain contexts.


SIMPLE

The odds of winning the lottery are very low.

CONTEXTUAL

Despite the heavy rain and poor visibility, the team beat the odds and finished the race in first place.

COMPLEX

Financial analysts are currently calculating the odds of a market correction, weighing geopolitical instability against surprisingly strong consumer spending data.

Usage

Plural in form but often treated as a collective concept; frequently paired with the preposition 'of' or 'against'.

Pitfall

The odd of winning is highThe odds of winning are highIn the sense of probability, the word is always plural 'odds' and requires a plural verb.

Idioms5 entries

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