jeopardy

American  

[jep-er-dee] / ˈdʒɛp ər di /

noun

plural

jeopardies

1. hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury.

   For a moment his life was in jeopardy.

   Antonyms:

   security

2. peril or danger.

   The spy was in constant jeopardy of being discovered.

   Antonyms:

   security

3. Law. the danger or hazard of being found guilty, and of consequent punishment, undergone by criminal defendants on trial.

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jeopardy British  

/ ˈdʒɛpədɪ /

noun

1. danger of injury, loss, death, etc; risk; peril; hazard

   his health was in jeopardy

2. law danger of being convicted and punished for a criminal offence See also double jeopardy

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Related Words

See danger.

Etymology

Origin of jeopardy

1200–50; Middle English j ( e ) uparti, joupardi ( e ), j ( e ) upardi ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French: literally, divided game or play, hence, uncertain chance, problem (in chess or love), equivalent to j ( e ) u play, game (< Latin jocus joke ) + parti, past participle of partir to divide; party

Example Sentences

And it would place a broader suite of climate regulations in legal jeopardy, including limits on carbon dioxide from power plants and methane from oil and gas operations.

From Barron's

Pakistan, who edged out Netherlands in the tournament opener on Saturday, would have conceded two points if they had forfeited the match, which could have put their chances of progressing in the tournament in jeopardy.

From Barron's

And jeopardy peppers the diary ahead for him.

From BBC

When the halfpipe superstar tore her labrum in her left shoulder in training a month ago, her hopes of becoming the first person to win three consecutive Olympic snowboarding gold medals were in jeopardy.

From Los Angeles Times

And would Burnham's route to a leadership challenge have appeared clearer, given the jeopardy Starmer now faces?

From BBC

Related Words

• peril