bechance

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /bɪˈt͡ʃæns/, /bɪˈt͡ʃɑːns/
• Rhymes: -æns, -ɑːns

Etymology 1

From be- +‎ chance.

Verb

bechance (third-person singular simple present bechances, present participle bechancing, simple past and past participle bechanced)

1. (intransitive) To happen; chance.
2. (transitive, archaic) To happen (to); befall to.
   • 1594, William Shakespeare, Lucrece (First Quarto), London: […] Richard Field, for Iohn Harrison, […], →OCLC:

     Disturb his hours of rest with restless trances, / Afflict him in his bed with bedrid groans; / Let there bechance him pitiful mischances, / To make him moan; but pity not his moans: / Stone him with harden'd hearts, harder than stones

Synonyms

• (to happen) come to pass, occur, transpire; See also Thesaurus:happen
• (to happen to)

Etymology 2

From be- (“by”) +‎ chance.

Adverb

bechance (not comparable)

1. Accidentally; by chance.
   • 1569, Richard Grafton, “Henry the Eyght”, in A Chronicle at Large and Meere History of the Affayres of Englande […], volume II, London: […] Henry Denham, […], for Richarde Tottle and Humffrey Toye, →OCLC, page 1073:

     [Y]et we haue withſtood them till at the last battayle of Branxſton, where we bechaunce loſt our ſouereigne Lorde, and many noble men, but that was by treaſon of his Lord Chamberleyn, and yet I thinke we wanne the field: […]