Idioms

the law of averages

law of averages

The idea that no one result will happen all the time. Don't worry, you'll score a goal eventually. It's just the law of averages.
See also: average, law, of
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

law of averages

The idea that probability will influence all occurrences in the long term, that one will neither win nor lose all of the time. For example, If it rains every day this week, by the law of averages we're bound to get a sunny day soon . This colloquial term is a popular interpretation of a statistical principle, Bernoulli's theorem, formulated in the late 1600s.
See also: average, law, of
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. Copyright © 2003, 1997 by The Christine Ammer 1992 Trust. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

the ˌlaw of ˈaverages

the principle that one thing will happen as often as another if you try enough times: Keep applying for jobs and by the law of averages you’ll get one sooner or later.
See also: average, law, of
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary © Farlex 2017
See also:
References in classic literature
It is the law of average. Such a rule of the two diameters not only guides us toward the sun in the system and the heart in man, but draws lines through the length and breadth of the aggregate of a man's particular daily behaviors and waves of life into his coves and inlets, and where they intersect will be the height or depth of his character.
"It was the law of averages for us offensively," Raymond said.
And Cheltenham Gold Cup hero Native River's trainer right) claimed "the law of averages" dictates the number of horses carrying the virus -- currently standing at nine -- will increase, and called for racing to resume "straight away".
The law of averages suggest certain events are bound to happen eventually purely because they haven't for a long time.
'I think it was the law of averages, we were really due for a win,' said NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio after getting 26 points and 10 rebounds from Mo Tautuaa, 26 points and seven assists from Pringle and 25 points, nine rebounds, six steals and five feeds from Sean Anthony.
Qatar fell into a slew of errors in the second half, and the law of averages eventually caught up with them as their outside shooting went cold.
The law of averages suggests that there is at least a possibility that one of them is going to be successful.
And while it's hard to see him moving out on his own today with on-fire Manchester City Palace's opponents, the Argentinian above) knows the law of averages means Pep Guardiola's men have to fire blank one day.
England can either be intimidated by those numbers, or believe that it's time for the law of averages to kick in.
BY the law of averages, even this lot in government must get something right eventually.
bad feeling spilling over into the second game or merely the law of averages suggesting you cannot win them all.
"The law of averages says we've stayed up too many times.
"The law of averages says the more you shoot, the more you'll score.
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