main chance
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of main chance
First recorded in 1570–80
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Guralnick’s new book is the story of an immigrant scrapper who became a kingmaker with his unerring instinct for the main chance.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 5, 2025
“We don’t have our own performing arts center here in Kent, so Spotlight Series is our main chance for people to see really high-quality performing arts entertainment close to home,” Billerbeck said.
From Seattle Times • Jan. 20, 2022
And like many, from McCoy himself to a huge Thanksgiving Day audience, I can’t wait to see him finally get the main chance that he’s totally earned.
From Washington Post • Nov. 21, 2018
Born in Kansas City, Katherine Noel Brosnahan took the path so many Midwesterners have and headed for New York City and the main chance.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 7, 2018
But this was my main chance, the only one.
From "The Secret History" by Donna Tartt
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
