chance'd be a fine thing
chance'd be a fine thing phrase: synonym of no chance or fat chance, with a somewhat more cheerful attitude.
Phrase
chance'd be a fine thing
- Synonym of no chance or fat chance, with a somewhat more cheerful attitude.
- Mrs Hawthon: Why didn't you get wed if you were so curious? There's plenty would have had you.
Fanny: Chance is a fine thing. Happen I wouldn't have had them!
Mrs Hawthorn: Happen you'll be sorry for it before long. There's not so many will have you now, if this gets about.1912, Stanley Houghton, Hindle Wakes, act I, scene i - Come on. You're management, Corrigan. Get it sorted.
Right. Chance would be a fine thing. [VO] That's a thing people say, isn't it...
Mark, can't you reset it?
Chance would be a fine thing, Lisa.
I know what you should do. Coffee run. Corrigan, 200 lattes.
Good, good one Jeff. Chance would be a...2009 September 18, Jesse Armstrong & al., Peep Show, Season 6, Episode 1
- Synonyms:
- no chance or fat chance, with a somewhat more cheerful attitude, one should be so lucky, one should live so long
- Mrs Hawthon: Why didn't you get wed if you were so curious? There's plenty would have had you.
Synonyms of chance'd be a fine thing
- no chance or fat chance
- with a somewhat more cheerful attitude
- one should be so lucky
- one should live so long
Forms of chance'd be a fine thing
| alternative form | chance is a fine thing |
|---|---|
| alternative form | chance's a fine thing |
| alternative form | chance would be a fine thing |
Origin of chance'd be a fine thing
An ellipsis of even having a chance [to do so / at that] would be a fine thing and similar ideas, in reference to something that is either completely impossible or currently forbidden by circumstances, higher authorities, etc., originally chiefly with regard to opportunities to have sex or get married.
Questions about chance'd be a fine thing
- What does chance'd be a fine thing mean?
- Chance'd be a fine thing means synonym of no chance or fat chance, with a somewhat more cheerful attitude.
- What part of speech is chance'd be a fine thing?
- Chance'd be a fine thing is a phrase.
Words near chance'd be a fine thing in the dictionary
Source and license
Adapted from Wiktionary: chance'd be a fine thing (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.
Last updated:
Pronunciation audio from Wikimedia Commons, each file under its own free license: en-au-chance'd be a fine thing.ogg.
Cite this entry: “chance'd be a fine thing.” Word.ws, https://word.ws/chance%27d_be_a_fine_thing. Based on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.