'Peradventure' definitions:

Definition of 'peradventure'

From: WordNet
adverb
By chance; "perhaps she will call tomorrow"; "we may possibly run into them at the concert"; "it may peradventure be thought that there never was such a time" [syn: possibly, perchance, perhaps, maybe, mayhap, peradventure]
noun
Doubt or uncertainty as to whether something is the case; "this proves beyond peradventure that he is innocent"

Definition of 'Peradventure'

From: GCIDE
  • Peradventure \Per`ad*ven"ture\, adv. & conj. [OE. per aventure, F. par aventure. See Per, and Adventure.] By chance; perhaps; it may be; if; supposing. "If peradventure he speak against me." --Shak. [1913 Webster]
  • Peradventure there be fifty righteous within the city. --Gen. xviii. 24. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'Peradventure'

From: GCIDE
  • Peradventure \Per`ad*ven"ture\, n. Chance; hap; hence, doubt; question; as, proved beyond peradventure. --South. [1913 Webster]

Definition of 'peradventure'

From: GCIDE
  • May \May\ (m[=a]), v. [imp. Might (m[imac]t)] [AS. pres. maeg I am able, pret. meahte, mihte; akin to D. mogen, G. m["o]gen, OHG. mugan, magan, Icel. mega, Goth. magan, Russ. moche. [root]103. Cf. Dismay, Main strength, Might. The old imp. mought is obsolete, except as a provincial word.] An auxiliary verb qualifying the meaning of another verb, by expressing: (a) Ability, competency, or possibility; -- now oftener expressed by can. [1913 Webster]
  • How may a man, said he, with idle speech, Be won to spoil the castle of his health! --Spenser. [1913 Webster]
  • For what he [the king] may do is of two kinds; what he may do as just, and what he may do as possible. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]
  • For of all sad words of tongue or pen The saddest are these: "It might have been." --Whittier. [1913 Webster] (b) Liberty; permission; allowance. [1913 Webster]
  • Thou mayst be no longer steward. --Luke xvi. 2. [1913 Webster] (c) Contingency or liability; possibility or probability. [1913 Webster]
  • Though what he learns he speaks, and may advance Some general maxims, or be right by chance. --Pope. [1913 Webster] (d) Modesty, courtesy, or concession, or a desire to soften a question or remark. [1913 Webster]
  • How old may Phillis be, you ask. --Prior. [1913 Webster] (e) Desire or wish, as in prayer, imprecation, benediction, and the like. "May you live happily." --Dryden. [1913 Webster]
  • May be, & It may be, are used as equivalent to possibly, perhaps, maybe, by chance, peradventure. See 1st Maybe. [1913 Webster]