From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishhalf a/the chancehalf a/the chancea small opportunity to do something, especially one which someone would take eagerly I’d go to university if I got half the chance. Many kids would sleep till noon given half a chance. → half
Examples from the Corpus
given half a chance• It's the trees they go for, given half a chance.• It sounded the sort of voice which might start offering gynaecological details if given half a chance.• That's nothing on how good they could be, given half a chance.• Unlike the others, the goat is a ruminant, and will eat almost anything given half a chance.• Many teenagers today would live in their trainers, given half a chance, but try to discourage this.• If the people are given half a chance there is hope for a return to it's colourful and vibrant past.• As McKinsey laments, given half a chance they revert to old habits.