SYNONYMS | EXAMPLES | WORD ORIGIN | IDIOMS noun exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance: It's not worth the risk.
Insurance the hazard or chance of loss. the degree of probability of such loss. the amount that the insurance company may lose. a person or thing with reference to the hazard involved in insuring him, her, or it. the type of loss, as life, fire, marine disaster, or earthquake, against which an insurance policy is drawn. verb (used with object) to expose to the chance of injury or loss; hazard: to risk one's life.
to venture upon; take or run the chance of: to risk a fall in climbing; to risk a war.
Idioms at risk , in a dangerous situation or status; in jeopardy: families at risk in the area of the weakened dam. under financial or legal obligation; held responsible: Are individual investors at risk for the debt part of the real estate venture? take /run a risk to expose oneself to the chance of injury or loss; put oneself in danger; hazard; venture.
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Origin of risk 1655–65; < French risque < Italian risc(hi)o, of obscure origin
Related forms risk·er , noun risk·less , adjective un·risked , adjective Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
Related Words for risk prospect ,
peril ,
danger ,
uncertainty ,
possibility ,
liability ,
hazard ,
opportunity ,
exposure ,
endanger ,
imperil ,
jeopardize ,
compromise ,
defy ,
fortuity ,
plunge ,
fortune ,
flyer ,
jeopardy ,
header Examples from the Web for risk Contemporary Examples of risk Politicians who openly associated with Duke, or his hard-core associates, did so at their own risk .
Advanced maternal age dramatically increases the risk of maternal mortality as well as birth defects like Down Syndrome.
It denotes the person that puts on the badge, puts on the blue uniform, and goes into the streets to put their life at risk .
So perfect that we wonder if we should risk ruining it by asking for yet another take.
The more antibiotics are used inappropriately, the greater the risk of bacteria growing resistant to them.
Historical Examples of risk At the risk of overturning the machine he veered it sharply to the left.
And whatever our views of its cause, we can agree that children at risk are not at fault.
When a woman loves a fierce man she takes the risk of his fierceness.
Then, while they wondered whether they might risk it, he got worse.
Go back and tell them it would take too great a risk to try to fix me.
British Dictionary definitions for risk noun the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard
insurance chance of a loss or other event on which a claim may be filed the type of such an event, such as fire or theft the amount of the claim should such an event occur a person or thing considered with respect to the characteristics that may cause an insured event to occur at risk vulnerable; likely to be lost or damaged social welfare vulnerable to personal damage, to the extent that a welfare agency might take protective responsibility no risk Australian informal an expression of assent
take a risk or run a risk to proceed in an action without regard to the possibility of danger involved in it
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verb (tr) to expose to danger or loss; hazard
to act in spite of the possibility of (injury or loss) to risk a fall in climbing
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Derived Forms risker , noun Word Origin for risk C17: from French risque , from Italian risco , from rischiare to be in peril, from Greek rhiza cliff (from the hazards of sailing along rocky coasts)
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 risk n. 1660s, risque , from French risque (16c.), from Italian risco, riscio (modern rischio ), from riscare "run into danger," of uncertain origin. The anglicized spelling first recorded 1728. Spanish riesgo and German Risiko are Italian loan-words. With run (v.) from 1660s. Risk aversion is recorded from 1942; risk factor from 1906; risk management from 1963; risk taker from 1892.
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v. 1680s, from risk (n.), or from French risquer , from Italian riscare , rischaire , from the noun. Related: Risked ; risks ; risking .
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
n. The possibility of suffering a harmful event.
A factor or course involving uncertain danger, as with smoking or exposure to radiation.
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The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Idioms and Phrases with risk In addition to the idiom beginning with risk
also see:
at risk calculated risk run a risk Show More
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
