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Against all odds

Idiomatic Phrase
Pronunciation

Understanding ARPABET Pronunciation

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The pronunciation guide uses the ARPABET phonetic system—the same system used in speech recognition and text-to-speech applications.

Vowel Examples:
AE1 = cat, bat
EH1 = bed, head
IY1 = see, me
OW1 = go, boat
UW1 = boot, do
Stress Numbers:
0 = no stress (unstressed)
1 = primary stress (loud)
2 = secondary stress (medium)
Example:
AH0 TH IY1 N AH0
= a-THEE-na (Athena)

The stressed syllable (marked with 1) is pronounced louder and clearer than others.

Quick Definition

Succeeding or persisting despite very low chances or significant obstacles.

Detailed Definition
Against all odds highlights triumph or survival in improbable circumstances, a motif in heroic and inspirational poetry. It celebrates resilience, fate's twists, and the underdog's spirit, often in narrative poems or odes that affirm human will against adversity.
Example
Example in poetry:
"Against all odds" in verse: "Love bloomed against all odds in war's cruel garden."; Educational: Highlights determination, common in inspirational and historical poetry.
Additional Notes
"Against all odds" notes underscore perseverance motifs, drawing from underdog tales in epic poetry. Educational tip: Contrast with "meet one's Waterloo" for full arcs. Related concepts: "beat the odds." Professors can use it to teach resilience themes in diverse voices, from minority poets to war literature, enabling students to analyze motivational structures, historical context, and how idiom elevates personal struggle to archetypal triumph in verse.
Also Known As
despite everything contrary to expectation against the odds against all expectations defying the odds
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