Odds Noun - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of odds noun from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

odds noun   /ɒdz/  /ɑːdz/[plural]Idioms jump to other results

1.  (usually the odds) the degree to which something is likely to happen
   • The odds are very much in our favour (= we are likely to succeed).
   • The odds are heavily against him (= he is not likely to succeed).
   • The odds are that (= it is likely that) she'll win.
   • What are the odds (= how likely is it) he won't turn up?
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • considerable
   • great
   • impossible
   • …
   verb + odds
   • offer
   • quote
   • lay
   • …
   odds + verb
   • fall
   • go down
   • lengthen
   • …
   preposition
   • against the odds
   • odds  against
   • odds  of
   • …
   phrases
   • against all odds
   • against all the odds
   • face impossible odds
   • …
   See full entry
2.  something that makes it seem impossible to do or achieve something
   • They secured a victory in the face of overwhelming odds.
   • She defied the odds to beat the clear favourite.
   • to beat/overcome the odds
   • against the odds The film is a heart-warming tale of triumph against the odds.
   • Against all (the) odds, he made a full recovery.
   • odds against (doing) something The odds against making a profit in this business are huge.
   Extra Examples
   • He will try hard to win, although he knows the odds are stacked against him.
   • She struggled against terrible odds to overcome her illness.
   Topics Difficulty and failurec1Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • considerable
   • great
   • impossible
   • …
   verb + odds
   • offer
   • quote
   • lay
   • …
   odds + verb
   • fall
   • go down
   • lengthen
   • …
   preposition
   • against the odds
   • odds  against
   • odds  of
   • …
   phrases
   • against all odds
   • against all the odds
   • face impossible odds
   • …
   See full entry
3.  (in betting) the connection between two numbers that shows how much money somebody will receive if they win a bet
   • odds of ten to one (= ten times the amount of money that has been bet by somebody will be paid to them if they win)
   • odds on somebody/something They are offering long/short odds (= the prize money will be high/low because there is a high/low risk of losing) on the defending champion.
   • (figurative) I'll lay odds on him getting the job (= I'm sure he will get it).
   Wordfinder
   • bet
   • casino
   • chip
   • croupier
   • gambling
   • lottery
   • odds
   • roulette
   • stake
   • streak
   Extra Examples
   • The bookmakers are offering only short odds on the favourite.
   • Sometimes an outsider will win at long odds, but not often.
   • The odds on the outsider were 100–1.
   • I put £10 on Middlesbrough to beat Manchester at odds of three to one.
   Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective
   • considerable
   • great
   • impossible
   • …
   verb + odds
   • offer
   • quote
   • lay
   • …
   odds + verb
   • fall
   • go down
   • lengthen
   • …
   preposition
   • against the odds
   • odds  against
   • odds  of
   • …
   phrases
   • against all odds
   • against all the odds
   • face impossible odds
   • …
   See full entry
Word Originearly 16th cent.: apparently the plural of the obsolete noun odd ‘odd number or odd person’.

Idioms be at odds (with somebody) (over/on something)

1. to disagree with somebody about something
   • He's always at odds with his father over politics.
   Topics Opinion and argumentc2

be at odds (with something)

1. to be different from something, when the two things should be the same synonym conflict
   • These findings are at odds with what is going on in the rest of the country.

the cards/odds are stacked against you

1. you are unlikely to succeed because the conditions are not good for youTopics Difficulty and failurec2

the cards/odds are stacked in your favour

1. you are likely to succeed because the conditions are good and you have an advantageTopics Successc2

it makes no odds

1. (informal, especially British English) used to say that something is not important
   • It makes no odds to me whether you go or stay.

over the odds

1. (British English, informal) more money than you would normally expect
   • Many collectors are willing to pay over the odds for early examples of his work.

See odds in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee odds in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic EnglishCheck pronunciation: odds

Other results

All matches

• odds-on adjective
• odds and ends noun
• odds and sods
• the cards/odds are stacked against you
• the cards/odds are stacked in your favour

Idioms

• the cards/odds are stacked against you
• the cards/odds are stacked in your favour

Nearby words

• oddments noun
• oddness noun
• odds noun
• odds and ends noun
• oddsmaker noun

numerous adjective From the Word list Oxford 3000 B2 Oxford Learner's Dictionaries Word of the Day