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

A few months ago, Beijing and Washington agreed an uneasy truce in their tit-for-tat trade war that started earlier this year and threw bilateral trade into serious jeopardy.

Read more on Barron's

Jimenez said that money’s in jeopardy if the tribes prevail in court.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

But while most of their games are competitive, most still seem to lack the feeling of jeopardy.

Read more on BBC

That reduces the political jeopardy of overruling the objections of Israel's prime minister.

Read more on BBC

The shield laws are designed to protect abortion providers from legal jeopardy, including extradition.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• peril