ACCIDENT

[noun] [C] - something which happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, esp. causing damage or injuryJohn had an accident and spilled water all over his work.Don't smack him - it was an accident.She was injured in a car/road accident (= when one car hit another).After my little accident with the chain saw, I've not been allowed to use it again.I found her letter by accident, as I was looking through my files.The play was a success more by accident than design (= mainly by chance, not because it had been well organized).The baby had an accident (= excreted unexpectedly).An accident-prone person often has accidents, usually because they are very awkward or clumsy.(saying) 'Accidents will happen' is what people say after an accident in order to make it seem less bad.(saying) 'This was an accident waiting to happen' means that an accident was certain to happen at some time because something about the situation was already wrong or dangerous.