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British

accident

[ ak-si-duhnt ]

/ ˈæk sɪ dənt /

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See synonyms for accident on Thesaurus.com

noun

an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss; casualty; mishap: automobile accidents.

Law. such a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.

any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause.

chance; fortune; luck: I was there by accident.

a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic: an accident of birth.

Philosophy. any entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else.

Geology. a surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.

OTHER WORDS FOR accident

1 mischance, misfortune, misadventure; contingency; disaster.

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OPPOSITES FOR accident

4 design, intent.

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VIDEO FOR ACCIDENT

Are Accidents Always Bad?

As a teenager, I had this one friend who used to call his kid brother “The Accident” every time he got annoyed with him. Does that mean all accidents aren't bad?

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His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

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Origin of accident

1350–1400; Middle English <Latin accident- (stem of accidēns happening, present participle of accidere to befall), equivalent to ac-ac- + -cid-, combining form of cad- fall + -ent--ent

OTHER WORDS FROM accident

post·ac·ci·dent, adjective

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH accident

accident , Occident

Words nearby accident

access road, access time, accessway, acciaccatura, accidence, accident, accidental, accidental death benefit, accidentalism, accidentally, accidentally on purpose

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use accident in a sentence

She said any liability for possible accidents would be on the gym or coaches, not the school or district.
School Sports Became ‘Clubs’ Amid the Pandemic – Now Two Coaches Are Out|Ashly McGlone|September 17, 2020|Voice of San Diego
The FAA has tentatively approved multiple design changes to prevent such an accident in the future and the plane could be certified to resume operations in the fall.
Boeing crashes were the “horrific culmination” of multiple mistakes, House report says|kdunn6|September 16, 2020|Fortune
This means that I would have a five percent chance of finding a difference that size by accident alone.
Build ice towers with bottled water and ice|Bethany Brookshire|September 16, 2020|Science News For Students
The most important accident, I discovered much later, was that I built Frog Fractions in chronological order, and I designed each scene to follow naturally from the previous ones.
How I learned to tell stories on purpose in the new Frog Fractions|Ars Staff|September 11, 2020|Ars Technica

This pot comes in a few different sizes and includes easy-to-grip, safe handles to prevent any accidents or messes.
The best stockpots for your kitchen|PopSci Commerce Team|September 9, 2020|Popular-Science
Father Joel Román Salazar died in a car crash in 2013; his death was ruled an accident, but the suspicion of foul play persists.
Mexico’s Priests Are Marked for Murder|Jason McGahan|January 7, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The accident rate in Asia has marred what was in 2014 a banner year for aviation safety.
Annoying Airport Delays Might Prevent You From Becoming the Next AirAsia 8501|Clive Irving|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Lalo insisted during a recent interview that they encountered Chito “and his people by accident.”
An Informant, a Missing American, and Juarez’s House of Death: Inside the 12-Year Cold Case of David Castro|Bill Conroy|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
If there are 162 confirmed deaths from Flight 8501, this would make 2014 the worst year for accident deaths since 2005.
Did Bad Weather Bring Down AirAsia 8501?|Clive Irving|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
What conflicts do exist between them derive from misunderstanding and accident.
The 2014 Novel of the Year|Nathaniel Rich|December 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
My father, who was a professional cricketer, was smashed up by an accident, and I had three horrible years in employment in shops.
The Salvaging Of Civilisation|H. G. (Herbert George) Wells
Lady Maude advanced; she had really come in by accident; her head was bent, her eyelashes rested on her flushed cheeks.
Elster's Folly|Mrs. Henry Wood
“Of course we know it, sir,” rejoined Fogg, slapping his pocket—perhaps by accident.
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, v. 2(of 2)|Charles Dickens
The violent shock dazed Malcolm for a second, but all might yet have been well were it not for an unavoidable accident.
The Red Year|Louis Tracy
An accident occurred on the Panama rail road, recently put in operation, by which 43 persons were killed, and 60 wounded.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology|Joel Munsell

British Dictionary definitions for accident

accident

/ (ˈæksɪdənt) /

noun

an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause

anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance; chance; fortuneI met him by accident

a misfortune or mishap, esp one causing injury or death

Also called: adjunct logic philosophy a nonessential attribute or characteristic of something (as opposed to substance)

metaphysics a property as contrasted with the substance in which it inheres

geology a surface irregularity in a natural formation, esp in a rock formation or a river system

Word Origin for accident

C14: via Old French from Latin accident- chance, happening, from the present participle of accidere to befall, happen, from ad- to + cadere to fall

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012