incident
[in-si-duh nt]
- an individual occurrence or event.
- a distinct piece of action, or an episode, as in a story or play.
- something that occurs casually in connection with something else.
- something appertaining or attaching to something else.
- an occurrence of seemingly minor importance, especially involving nations or factions between which relations are strained and sensitive, that can lead to serious consequences, as an outbreak of hostilities or a war: border incident; international incident.
- an embarrassing occurrence, especially of a social nature.
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- likely or apt to happen (usually followed by to).
- naturally appertaining: hardships incident to the life of an explorer.
- conjoined or attaching, especially as subordinate to a principal thing.
- falling or striking on something, as light rays.
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Origin of incident
Synonyms
See more synonyms for incident on Thesaurus.com1. happening. See event.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for incident
Contemporary Examples
The “crying” incident is thought to have hurt Muskie in the primary--which he won handily, but with under 50 percent of the vote.
“I guess it was their first incident where they lose a plane,” said Dobersberger, the travel agent.
The incident sparked his belief in Santa, but he would have to wait nearly two decades before dressing up as Jolly St. Nick.
The actor recalls an incident when his daughter was younger.
But then somebody posted on YouTube a video of the incident, one that actually helps the police.
Historical Examples
It is not necessary to dwell on every incident of this terrible journey.
Explorations in AustraliaJohn Forrest
Shakespeare should never have used this incident; it is a blot on his conception.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
Small as the incident was, it marked a change in Sidney's position in the ward.
KMary Roberts Rinehart
As we have seen, he cannot keep the incident out of his plays.
The Man ShakespeareFrank Harris
Miss Bartlett was pleased to look upon this incident as funny.
In the Midst of AlarmsRobert Barr
incident
- a distinct or definite occurrence; event
- a minor, subsidiary, or related event or action
- a relatively insignificant event that might have serious consequences, esp in international politics
- a public disturbancethe police had reports of an incident outside a pub
- the occurrence of something interesting or excitingthe trip was not without incident
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- (postpositive foll by to) related (to) or dependent (on)
- (when postpositive, often foll by to) having a subsidiary or minor relationship (with)
- (esp of a beam of light or particles) arriving at or striking a surfaceincident electrons
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Word Origin
C15: from Medieval Latin incidens an event, from Latin incidere, literally: to fall into, hence befall, happen, from in- ² + 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
Word Origin and History for incident
n.
early 15c., "something which occurs casually in connection with something else," from Middle French incident and directly from Latin incidentem (nominative incidens), present participle of incidere "happen, befall," from in- "on" + -cidere, comb. form of cadere "to fall" (see case (n.1)). Sense of "an occurrence viewed as a separate circumstance" is from mid-15c. Meaning "event that might trigger a crisis or political unrest" first attested 1913.
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adj.
"conducive (to), contributing (to)," early 15c., from Middle French incident (adj.) or directly from Latin incidens, present participle of incidere (see incident (n.)).
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper