odds

Từ điển Oxford Advanced Learner 8th

odds AW BrE [ɒdz] NAmE [ɑːdz] noun plural
1. (usually the odds)the degree to which sth 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?
2. something that makes it seem impossible to do or achieve sth
•They secured a victory in the face of overwhelming odds.
•Against all (the) odds, he made a full recovery.
3. (in betting)the connection between two numbers that shows how much money sb will receive if they win a bet
•odds of ten to one (= ten times the amount of money that has been bet by sb will be paid to them if they win)
•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).
more at the cards/odds are stacked against youthe cards/odds are stacked in your favour at ↑stacked
Idioms: ↑at odds ▪ ↑it makes no odds ▪ ↑over the odds

Word Origin:
[odds] early 16th cent.: apparently the plural of the obsolete noun odd ‘odd number or odd person’.

Example Bank:
•He will try hard to win, although he knows the odds are stacked against him.
•I'll lay odds we never see him again.
•She defied the odds to beat the clear favourite.
•She struggled against terrible odds to overcome her illness.
•Sometimes an outsider will win at long odds, but not often.
•The bookmakers are offering only short odds on the favourite.
•The film is a heart-warming tale of triumph against the odds.
•The odds against making a profit in this business are huge.
•The odds against their survival have lengthened.
•The odds on the outsider were 100–1.
•They were offering odds of ten to one.
•Against all (the) odds, he made a full recovery.
•I put £10 on Middlesbrough to beat Manchester at odds of three to one.
•The odds are heavily against him.
•The odds are that she'll win.
•The odds are very much in our favour.
•They are offering long/short odds on the defending champion.
•What are the odds he won't turn up?