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adventure

[ad-ven-cher]
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noun
  1. an exciting or very unusual experience.
  2. participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises: the spirit of adventure.
  3. a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
  4. a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.
  5. Obsolete.
    1. peril; danger; risk.
    2. chance; fortune; luck.
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verb (used with object), ad·ven·tured, ad·ven·tur·ing.
  1. to risk or hazard.
  2. to take the chance of; dare.
  3. to venture to say or utter: to adventure an opinion.
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verb (used without object), ad·ven·tured, ad·ven·tur·ing.
  1. to take the risk involved.
  2. to venture; hazard.
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Origin of adventure

1200–50; Middle English aventure < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *adventūra what must happen, feminine (orig. neuter plural) of Latin adventūrus future participle of advenīre to arrive; ad- ad- replacing a- a-5. See advent, -ure
Related formsad·ven·ture·ful, adjectiveun·ad·ven·tur·ing, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018

Examples from the Web for adventure

Contemporary Examples

Historical Examples

  • At 7.30 my brother and Windich returned, and were surprised to hear of our adventure.

  • Even Hope's strong constitution felt the shock of this adventure.

    Malbone

    Thomas Wentworth Higginson

  • Where would be the fun of such an adventure if you had it alone?

    The Trail Book

    Mary Austin

  • For was not this the adventure of which she had so often dreamed?

    The Dream

    Emile Zola

  • Well, and aren't you as fond of adventure as anybody in the wide world?

    The Foolish Lovers

    St. John G. Ervine

British Dictionary definitions for adventure

adventure

noun
  1. a risky undertaking of unknown outcome
  2. an exciting or unexpected event or course of events
  3. a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation
  4. obsolete
    1. danger or misadventure
    2. chance
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verb
  1. to take a risk or put at risk
  2. (intr foll by into, on, upon) to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)
  3. to dare to say (something)he adventured his opinion
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Derived Formsadventureful, adjective

Word Origin

C13: aventure (later altered to adventure after the Latin spelling), via Old French ultimately from Latin advenīre to happen to (someone), arrive
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

Word Origin and History for adventure

n.

c.1200, auenture "that which happens by chance, fortune, luck," from Old French aventure (11c.) "chance, accident, occurrence, event, happening," from Latin adventura (res) "(a thing) about to happen," from adventurus, future participle of advenire "to come to, reach, arrive at," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + venire "to come" (see venue).

Meaning developed through "risk/danger" (a trial of one's chances), c.1300, and "perilous undertaking" (late 14c.) and thence to "a novel or exciting incident" (1560s). Earlier it also meant "a wonder, a miracle; accounts of marvelous things" (13c.). The -d- was restored 15c.-16c. Venture is a 15c. variant.

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v.

c.1300, "to risk the loss of," from adventure (n.). Meaning "to take a chance" is early 14c. Related: Adventured; adventuring.

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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper