perchance

English

Etymology

From Middle English parchaunce, from Old French par cheance (“by chance”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˌpɜːˈtʃɑːns/, /pəˈtʃɑːns/

  • Audio (Southern England); /pə-/:

    (file)

• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌpɜɹˈtʃæns/, /pəɹˈtʃæns/, [ˌpɝˈt͡ʃʰɛə̯ns], [pɚˈt͡ʃʰɛə̯ns]
• Rhymes: -ɑːns, -æns

Adverb

perchance (not comparable)

1. (archaic) perhaps; by chance

   You wouldn't, perchance, have a bottle opener on you, would you?

   • 1624, John Donne, Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, section XVII:

     Perchance he for whom this bell tolls may be so ill, as that he knows not it tolls for him […]

   • 1855, Robert Browning, “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”, section XXVII:

     A great black bird, Apollyon's bosom-friend, / Sailed past, nor beat his wide wing dragon-penned / That brushed my cap—perchance the guide I sought.

Synonyms

• by any chance
• maybe
• peradventure
• perhaps
• possibly
• mayhap

Translations

perhaps, by chance

• Bulgarian: случайно (bg) (slučajno), може би (može bi)
• Dutch: mogelijkerwijs (nl)
• Marathi: यदाकदाचित (mr) (yadākdācit)
• Plautdietsch: veleicht
• Portuguese: porventura (pt)
• Spanish: por ventura (es)