dangerous Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. adjective involving or causing danger or risk; liable to hurt or harm
    unsafe.
    • a dangerous criminal
    • a dangerous bridge
    • unemployment reached dangerous proportions
  2. adjective satellite causing fear or anxiety by threatening great harm
    grievous; life-threatening; severe; serious; grave.
    • a dangerous operation
    • a grave situation
    • a grave illness
    • grievous bodily harm
    • a serious wound
    • a serious turn of events
    • a severe case of pneumonia
    • a life-threatening disease

WordNet

Dan"ger*ous adjective
Etymology
OE., haughty, difficult, dangerous, fr. OF. dangereus, F. dangereux. See Danger.
Definitions
  1. Attended or beset with danger; full of risk; perilous; hazardous; unsafe.
    Our troops set forth to-morrow; stay with us; The ways are dangerous. Shak.
    It is dangerous to assert a negative. Macaulay.
  2. Causing danger; ready to do harm or injury.
    If they incline to think you dangerous To less than gods. Milton.
  3. In a condition of danger, as from illness; threatened with death. Colloq. Forby. Bartlett.
  4. Hard to suit; difficult to please. Obs.
    My wages ben full strait, and eke full small; My lord to me is hard and dangerous. Chaucer.
  5. Reserved; not affable. Obs. "Of his speech dangerous." Chaucer. -- Dan"ger*ous*ly, adv. -- Dan"ger*ous*ness, n.

Webster 1913