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

Maybe they will now appreciate the need for permitting reform so projects aren’t subject to double regulatory jeopardy.

From The Wall Street Journal

On Sunday, Sports Business Journal reported that the parent company of FanDuel Sports Network is in jeopardy of shutting down if it cannot complete a sale to streaming service DAZN.

From Los Angeles Times

Plans by the commission chief to fly to Brazil this weekend to sign the agreement were thrown in jeopardy Wednesday after Italy joined fellow heavyweight France in seeking a delay.

From Barron's

Following an appeal to the Court of Appeal in November 2024, Rhodes was retried under the double jeopardy rules.

From BBC

Double jeopardy rules allow for cases where a person has already been acquitted to be re-tried in exceptional circumstances where new and compelling evidence has come to light.

From BBC

Related Words

• peril