fate

/ˈfāt/

Middle English, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French, from Latin fatum, literally, what has been spoken, from neuter of fatus, past participle of fari to speak

noun

  1. the will or principle or determining cause by which things in general are believed to come to be as they are or events to happen as they do : destiny

  2. an inevitable and often adverse outcome, condition, or end

  3. disaster; especially : death

… fate sometimes deals a straight flush … he had no idea that he would become the right man in the right place at the right time …

fate destiny lot portion doom mean a predetermined state or end. fate implies an inevitable and usually an adverse outcome. destiny implies something foreordained and often suggests a great or noble course or end.

verb

  1. destine; also : doom

noun phrase

  1. something worse than dying

She regarded poverty as a fate worse than death.