hazard Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
    endangerment; jeopardy; peril; risk.
    • drinking alcohol is a health hazard
  2. noun an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
    chance; fortune; luck.
    • bad luck caused his downfall
    • we ran into each other by pure chance
  3. noun an obstacle on a golf course
  4. verb put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
    guess; pretend; venture.
    • I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again
    • I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong
  5. verb put at risk
    stake; jeopardize; venture; adventure.
    • I will stake my good reputation for this
  6. verb take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
    risk; take a chance; take chances; chance; adventure; gamble; run a risk.
    • When you buy these stocks you are gambling

WordNet

Haz"ard noun
Etymology
F. hazard, Sp. azar an unforeseen disaster or accident, an unfortunate card or throw at dice, prob. fr. Ar. zahr, zar, a die, which, with the article al the, would give azzahr, azzar.
Definitions
  1. A game of chance played with dice. Chaucer.
  2. The uncertain result of throwing a die; hence, a fortuitous event; chance; accident; casualty.
    I will stand the hazard of the die. Shak.
  3. Risk; danger; peril; as, he encountered the enemy at the hazard of his reputation and life.
    Men are led on from one stage of life to another in a condition of the utmost hazard. Rogers
  4. (Billiards) Holing a ball, whether the object ball (winning hazard) or the player's ball (losing hazard).
  5. Anything that is hazarded or risked, as the stakes in gaming. "Your latter hazard." Shak. Syn. -- Danger; risk; chance. See Danger.
Haz"ard transitive verb
Etymology
Cf. F. hazarder. See Hazard, n.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Hazarded; present participle & vb Hazarding
Definitions
  1. To expose to the operation of chance; to put in danger of loss or injury; to venture; to risk.
    Men hazard nothing by a course of evangelical obedience. John Clarke.
    He hazards his neck to the halter. Fuller.
  2. To venture to incur, or bring on.
    I hazarded the loss of whom I loved. Shak.
    They hazard to cut their feet. Landor.
    Syn. -- To venture; risk; jeopard; peril; endanger.
Haz"ard intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To try the chance; to encounter risk or danger. Shak.

Webster 1913