What does usaunce mean?
Usaunce is an archaic English noun denoting chance or fortune, with a frequent emphasis on a favourable turn of events. In older literary use it could mean an opportunity presented by circumstance: a chance to act, prosper, or escape danger. The word therefore carries an elevated, fate-like tone and should not be confused with a neutral statistical chance alone. Modern speakers almost never use it, but it can add period flavour to narrative prose, especially when describing an outcome as fortunate or unexpected. Its modern spelling relative is usance, which also survives in financial contexts for the period conventionally allowed for payment. Although the vocabulary entry may seem obscure, usaunce is useful because it preserves the historical English sense of fortune as something that happens to a person, not merely as a measurable probability.
nounChance or fortune, especially a favourable chance or fortunate opportunity.
- Chance or fortune, especially a favourable chance or fortunate opportunity.
"By rare usaunce, the traveller reached the harbour before the storm."
"By good usaunce, the letter reached its intended recipient."
"The general accepted the proposal with little expectation that such usaunce would favour him."
The plural is regular but virtually unused because the noun itself is archaic.
"The memoir attributes several unexpected usaunces to the journey."
Long absent from everyday speech, usaunce preserves an old idea of destiny: not merely chance, but the turn fortune happens to offer.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of usaunce
Usaunce entered Middle English from Anglo-Norman French usance, a word related to usier “to use” and ultimately to Latin usare “to use.” In Middle English it was used for chance or fortune, especially a favourable chance. The modern spelling usance also developed specialized commercial meanings, including the period allowed for payment.
How usaunce is actually used
Chiefly literary, archaic, and deliberately elevated. It conveys a sense of fortune or favourable circumstance and is now encountered mainly in older texts or in prose written in a historical style.
Easily confused with usaunce
Usaunce is an older spelling of the word for chance or fortune, whereas usance also has a specialized commercial sense for the period conventionally allowed for payment.