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Glite Dictionary
to bechance

to bechance

9.9
To happen to someone by accident
  • verb
  • /bɪˈtʃæns/
  • Archaic
translation icon : suceder
  • I didn't expect to bechance upon her at the café after all these years.

Examples

  • If you bechance upon any interesting news, let me know.

  • I hope to bechance upon a great opportunity soon.

  • If a rare opportunity should bechance us, we must be ready.

  • Should some misfortune bechance you, remain steadfast in hope.

  • Such a meeting could only bechance through the most extraordinary circumstances.

  • If a rare opportunity should bechance to you, take it without hesitation.

  • Should good fortune bechance upon us, we will celebrate together.

Synonyms

to happen
vsto bechance
∞ 1.0

To take place, often by chance and without planning

is used mainly when events occur by chance to someone or something
to befall
vsto bechance
  • Formal
33 7.8

To happen to a person or thing, usually something bad

is broader and covers any accidental event, not only bad ones
to chance
vsto bechance
10 3.9

To find something by accident

is used when events occur by pure accident rather than by design
to betide
vsto bechance
  • Archaic
2 9.9

To happen to someone, often in a bad way, used in old or literary language

is more neutral and used in ordinary modern language

Surface Forms

bechance infinitive
bechance past
bechance past participle
bechancing present participle
bechances third person singular

Morphology

bechance = chance (semi-transparent) = be + chance

The meaning can be inferred from 'be-' + 'chance' (to happen by chance), but the verb is archaic and 'be-' has variable functions, so learners may not reliably predict the sense.

Etymology

Bechance is made of the small prefix be- and the word chance, where chance means 'luck' or 'something that happens by accident'. So bechance means 'to happen by chance', and a helpful way to remember it is to think 'be' + 'chance' = 'to be by chance'.