Green’s Dictionary of Slang

to take risks, to gamble.

1821		Egan Life in London (1869) 347: [note] ‘I’ll chance it.’ A common expression among sporting men, when the object in view is doubtful of accomplishment.
1839		Crim.-Con. Gaz. 11 May 149/1: Jim Crow — And how do him get him libing? Chap — Why him go out chancing ob it — Jim Crow — Chancing it! what debil him mean by dat?
1846		C.P. Hodgson Reminiscences of Aus. 362: Though Peter volunteered to go back after him I determined to ‘chance it’.
1865		Leaves from Diary of Celebrated Burglar 6/2: Leeds being rather too hot for us to stay any longer just then, we made up our minds to start in the morning for Doncaster and chance it.
1888		‘Rolf Boldrewood’ Robbery Under Arms (1922) 93: So we made up to start for home and chance it.
1890		Sporting Times 8 Mar. 1/5: If you won’t play no lark’s o’ that sort I might chance her agin.
1896		‘Army Slang’ in Regiment 11 Apr. 31/2: ‘[C]hancing it,’ or ‘chancing his arm,’ is literally, risking his badges or stripes contained thereon. ‘Chancing his mit,’ or ‘sacks,’ are [...] synonymous.
1896–9		(?) H. Lawson ‘A Gentleman Sharper and Steelman Sharper’ in Roderick (1972) 224: There was never a fortune made that wasn’t made by chancing it.
1901		Bulletin (Sydney) 28 Sept. 14/3: The saying ‘I’ll chance it, as Oakes did his oath’ refers to one Oakes, a Parramatta celebrity, who, tradition tells, was prosecuting a man for cattle-lifting. Evidence showed that prisoner had a pair of horns in his possession, and Oakes, asked if he could swear that the horns belonged to any beast of his, hesitated for a space – then suddenly burst out: ‘Well, I’ll chance it! Yes!’.
1910		Bulletin (Sydney) 29 Sept. 43/2: Very good, [...] then we’ll chance it. And, in case anything should happen to either of us [...] I’ll answer now the question you have never asked.
1919		Marvel 22 Feb. 13: I’m not going to chance it.
1920		E.F. Benson Queen Lucia (1984) 141: Chance it then [...] Just tell your maid to say nothing about it.
1934		J. Franklyn This Gutter Life 37: I’d be bloody sorry to do what you do – and chance it!
1938		J. Curtis They Drive by Night 188: I’ll always help another bloke that’s a driver and chance it.
1952		(con. 1948) G. Mandel Flee the Angry Strangers 58: We’ll chance it if it’s necessary.
1976		N. Thornburg Cutter and Bone (2001) 19: ‘Don’t want to hurt myself.’ ‘Chance it.’.
1980		Barltrop & Wolveridge Muvver Tongue 89: He ‘chanced it’ or ‘chanced his arm’ when he spoke.
1995		J. Cameron Vinnie Got Blown Away 137: Used to be you only got £50 no ID only now it was £150 you’re lucky. No point chancing it though so they made out mostly £80 or £90.
2008		J. Niven Kill Your Friends (2009) 76: That fluky prick. That chancing mockney wanker.
2013		T. Black Ringer [ebook] n.p.: The fucking chancing cunt.
2016		V. McDermid Out of Bounds (2017) 77: If our killer’s still around? He might decide that, rather than chance it’.

see under arm n.

see under mitt n.

see under duck n.¹

(UK gambling) indulging in a variety of gambling pursuits based on physical competition, e.g. prize-fighting, horse-racing.

1824

History of Gaming Houses & Gamesters 5: O’K— was engaged in the various pursuits that turn upon animal exertion, or on the chances, which he [...] endeavoured to controul.