I. ədˈvenchə(r) also ad- noun
( -s )
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin ad- ) of Middle English aventure, from Old French, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin adventura, from Latin adventus (past participle of advenire to arrive, happen) + -ura -ure — more at advene
1. obsolete
a. : chance , fortune
wished me fair adventure for the year — John Dryden
b. : a chance occurrence : an unplanned event
2.
a. chiefly marine insurance : chance of loss : risk , jeopardy , peril
b. obsolete : trial , test
3.
a. : a dangerous or risky undertaking : an enterprise or performance involving the uncertain or unknown
an adventure in mountain climbing
the time had come for drastic changes and bold adventures — Drew Middleton
b. : the encountering of risks : hazardous or exciting enterprise or experience
the spirit of adventure
adventure was gone from life in Mandalay — F.T.Jesse
for the sake of the adventure
4. : a novel, exciting, or otherwise remarkable event or experience
I found delightful adventures in the woods — W.B.Yeats
long-forgotten childhood adventures
hardly a day passed without its adventures
5.
a. : an undertaking, enterprise, or venture involving financial risk or speculation especially in mercantile or mining affairs ; also : the risk incurred
b. : a shipment by a merchant on his own account
II. verb
( adventured ; adventured ; adventuring -ch(ə)riŋ ; adventures )
Etymology: alteration (influenced by Latin ad- ) of Middle English aventuren, auntren, from Old French aventurer, from aventure
transitive verb
1. : to expose to possible danger or loss : risk , venture
adventure their capital in foreign trade
so far had he adventured himself that I began to be afraid there might be no recovery — Hugh McCrae
it is usual to adventure the very considerable cost of “wildcat” trial wells — W.G.Fearnsides
adventure himself gingerly into the water — Archibald Marshall
2. : to venture upon : run the risks of : chance , try
durst not adventure such unknowen ways — Edmund Spenser
the last volume I have adventured is a very amusing book — H.J.Laski
invites unbelievers … to retrace their steps and adventure Christianity — Times Literary Supplement
3. : to suggest venturesomely
adventure an opinion
intransitive verb
1. : to proceed despite danger or risk : venture or hazard oneself (as in a dangerous or unknown region or risky undertaking) : dare
leaps at chances and … adventures to the shores washed with the farthest sea — J.L.Lowes
only a madman would have adventured down the declivity — W.J.Locke
David there adventuring in the blue, in the Middle Heaven — Mary Austin
2. : to take the chance or risk : venture
I would adventure for such merchandise — Shakespeare
wondering why the English theater is so slow to adventure with his last plays — Irish Digest
• ad·ven·ture·ment -mənt noun -s