odds
- 1The chance that something will happen, compared to the chance that it will not.
Like weighing two sides on a scale: how likely yes is against how likely no is.
The odds of rolling a six on one die are one to five.
Doctors said the odds of a full recovery were very good.
Similarchances, probability, likelihood
Note
- 2In betting, how much money you can win compared with the amount you bet.
Like a deal where a small bet can pay back many times as much if you win.
The bookmaker offered odds of five to one on the home team.
She placed her bet at long odds and won a lot of money.
Similarprice
Note
- 3A head start given to the weaker player in a casual game, often by removing one of the stronger player's pieces.
Like letting a younger child start a race a few steps ahead.
The champion gave his young nephew odds by playing without a rook.
Playing at odds, the beginner still managed to win the match.
Similarhandicap
Note
- 4Plural of odd. Use this when you mean more than one odd number or odd item.
The teacher asked the class to circle all the odds on the worksheet.
She sorted the cards into evens and odds.
Note
odds is a form of odd
odd, noun: A number that cannot be split into two equal whole numbers. Full entry
- Forms
- oddodds plural
- Spelling
- odd → odds: add -s
- Sound
- The ending sounds like /z/.
Practice
Can you tell the meanings of odds apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.
Origin
It comes from the word "odd," meaning uneven or strange.