improbability

• POS: Noun
• HYPHEN: im=prob=a=bil=i=ty

CIDE DICTIONARY

improbability, n. [Cf. F. improbabilité.].

 The quality or state of being improbable; unlikelihood; also, that which is improbable; an improbable event or result.  [1913 Webster]

DEVIL DICTIONARY

improbability

n.

His tale he told with a solemn face
And a tender, melancholy grace.
Improbable 'twas, no doubt,
When you came to think it out,
But the fascinated crowd
Their deep surprise avowed
And all with a single voice averred
'Twas the most amazing thing they'd heard --
All save one who spake never a word,
But sat as mum
As if deaf and dumb,
Serene, indifferent and unstirred.
Then all the others turned to him
And scrutinized him limb from limb --
Scanned him alive;
But he seemed to thrive
And tranquiler grow each minute,
As if there were nothing in it.
"What! what!" cried one, "are you not amazed
At what our friend has told?" He raised
Soberly then his eyes and gazed
In a natural way
And proceeded to say,
As he crossed his feet on the mantel-shelf:
"O no -- not at all; I'm a liar myself."

THESAURUS

improbability

abnormality, anomaly, bare possibility, conversation piece, curio, curiosity, dark horse, exception, fighting chance, gambling chance, hardly a chance, hundred-to-one shot, inexpectance, inexpectancy, inexpectation, little chance, little opportunity, long odds, long shot, museum piece, no expectation, nonesuch, nonexpectation, oddity, off chance, outside chance, poor bet, poor lookout, poor possibility, poor prospect, prodigiosity, prodigy, rarity, remote possibility, slim chance, small chance, strange thing, the unforeseen, the unlooked-for, unanticipation, unexpectedness, unforeseeableness, unlikelihood, unpredictability, unpredictableness, unpreparedness, unreadiness

ROGET THESAURUS

improbability

Improbability

N improbability, unlikelihood, unfavorable chance, bad chance, ghost of a chance, little chance, small chance, poor chance, scarcely any chance, no chance, bare possibility, long odds, incredibility, improbable, unlikely, contrary to all reasonable expectation, wild, far out, out of sight, outtasight, heavy, rare, unheard of, inconceivable, unimaginable, inimaginable, incredible, more than doubtful, strange, bizarre (uncomformable), the chances are against, aquila non capit muscas, pedir peras pal olmo.