jeopardy

[jep-er-dee]

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.

jeopardy

/ 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

Word History and Origins

Origin of jeopardy¹

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of jeopardy¹

C14: from Old French jeu parti, literally: divided game, hence uncertain issue, from jeu game, from Latin jocus joke, game + partir to divide, from Latin partīrī

Synonym Study

See danger.

Example Sentences

The first-in-human trial, which would soon help Oliver, was in jeopardy before it had even begun.

Read more on BBC

Keeping the lesser charges in place risked running afoul of state laws that forbid “double jeopardy” or prosecuting a defendant twice for the same alleged crime, the Salehpours said the D.A. explained.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

Progressives might be mad about it, but if Ms. Spanberger reopens the issue, she could put the settlement in jeopardy and UVA back under federal investigation.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Organisers said the championship would inject "jeopardy and context into every fixture".

Read more on Barron's

Those type of heroics have not been needed in recent campaigns, with the team's win percentage steadily rising - though the lack of jeopardy means games have not always been compelling viewing.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• peril