chancy

comparative chancier · superlative chanciest · alternative chancey

1. Uncertain; risky; hazardous.

   You might think it's foolish This chancy rendezvous (You might think) You might think I'm crazy (All I want) All I want is you

   1984, Ric Ocasek, “You Might Think”, in Heartbeat City, performed by The Cars

   1 more example

   In winter steam contributes a fairly high proportion of its tractive effort, say 15 per cent, to heating the train. Diesels have at the moment separate oil-fired boilers which are somewhat chancy affairs, and only electric locomotives grab unlimited power for heating which does not affect their punctuality.

   1960 April, G. F. Fiennes, “Unpunctuality - the cause and the cure”, in Trains Illustrated, page 244

   Synonyms: dicey, iffy

2. Subject to chance; random.
3. colloquialdatedLucky; bringing good luck.

   1 more example

   His haggard gaze swept this way and that, seeking possible succour where reason told him there could be no succour; and then as his vision pieced together this outjutting architectural feature and that into a coherent picture of his immediate surroundings he knew where he was. The one bit of chancy luck in a sequence of direful catastrophes had brought him here[Pg 49] to this very spot. Why, this must be West Ninth Street; it had to be, it was—oh joy, it was!.

   1919, Irvin S. Cobb, The Life of the Party, page 49

1. An English surname from Old French.
2. A male given name transferred from the surname.