INDEX:
1. a possibility that something bad might happen
2. involving risk
3. to do something even though there is a risk
4. to do something that involves unnecessary risks
5. to risk losing something
6. when you are in a situation where there are risks
7. in a situation where there are risks
8. to cause risks
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ DANGEROUS
↑ GAMBLING
↑ CHANCE
◆◆◆
1. a possibility that something bad might happen
▷ risk /rɪsk/ [countable/uncountable noun]
a possibility that something harmful or unpleasant will happen, especially as a result of something else :
▪ There are a lot of risks involved when you start your own business.
risk of
▪ People continue to smoke, despite knowing the risks of heart disease or cancer.
risk of doing something
▪ Drivers often break the speed limit, and there’s little risk of getting caught.
risk that
▪ We can’t ignore the risk that fighting could spread throughout the region.
reduce/increase the risk of something
▪ Clean the wound thoroughly to reduce the risk of infection.
▷ danger /ˈdeɪndʒəʳ/ [countable/uncountable noun]
the possibility that something dangerous or very unpleasant will happen, for example if a particular situation continues or is not dealt with :
▪ The river has not flooded yet, but that does not mean the danger has passed.
▪ The gas leak was quickly fixed, but workers at the factory say the danger remains real.
danger of
▪ Is there any danger of Mike being arrested?
▪ Wear a hat and drink plenty of fluids to reduce the danger of sunstroke.
danger that
▪ There’s a real danger that the region’s forests will disappear completely in the next 50 years.
▷ threat /θret/ [countable noun usually singular]
a strong possibility that something very bad will happen, especially something that will affect a lot of people :
▪ Tuberculosis is a common threat when people live in crowded conditions.
▪ The nuclear threat, while not gone completely, is reduced.
threat of
▪ Once again the people of Sudan face the threat of famine.
threat to
▪ The latest outbreak of the disease can be seen as the greatest threat to UK farmers yet.
threat that
▪ There is a threat that the violence will break out again.
pose a threat
be a threat
▪ It’s nonsense to say that the protesters pose any threat to democratic society.
▷ hazard /ˈhæzəʳd/ [countable noun]
a risk that cannot be avoided, because it is always there in a particular activity or situation :
▪ For international traders, changes in the exchange rate are an unavoidable hazard.
hazard of doing something
▪ a study into the potential hazards of playing computer games for long periods of time
hazard of
▪ Malaria is a common hazard of life in the region.
occupational hazard
a hazard that always exists in a particular job
▪ Serious lung disease seems to be an occupational hazard of working in mines.
2. involving risk
▷ risky /ˈrɪski/ [adjective]
involving a risk :
▪ It’s always risky leaving your car out on the street overnight.
▪ Being self-employed is much more risky than being a wage earner.
▪ Risky investments can offer high yields, but also the possibility of greater losses.
risky to do something
▪ The experiments would be too risky to perform on humans.
▷ dangerous /ˈdeɪndʒ ə rəs/ [adjective]
risks that are not necessary and that could cause harm or serious problems :
▪ Using humor in a job interview is a dangerous thing - you never know how the interviewer will react.
▪ Women felt that complaining about sexual harrassment was dangerous, as there was always the threat of losing their jobs.
it is dangerous to do something
▪ It is dangerous to assume that share prices will continue to rise.
▷ foolhardy /ˈfuːlhɑːʳdi/ [adjective]
an action that is foolhardy involves so much risk that someone seems stupid for trying it :
▪ It was foolhardy to take the plane up alone, with so little flying experience.
▪ The country was in such huge debt that any spending proposals looked foolhardy.
▪ I drove to the hospital at a foolhardy speed, arriving just after my wife.
▷ high-risk /ˌhaɪ ˈrɪsk◂/ [adjective only before noun]
something that is high-risk involves a lot of risk, but if you choose to do it and it is successful, you will have very good results :
▪ It was a high-risk strategy to attack with such a small number of planes, but it was brilliantly successful.
▪ a high-risk investment
▷ a gamble /ə ˈgæmb ə l/ [singular noun]
something risky that you do because you hope that it will succeed and that you will gain something from it :
▪ A gamble by the quarterback on the final play allowed them to score.
▪ Changing jobs is always a gamble, but the opportunity looks good.
a gamble pays off
it is successful
▪ Despite the serious doubts of his advisors, the President’s gamble paid off.
▷ dicey /ˈdaɪsi/ [adjective] informal
involving a serious risk that things will go wrong :
▪ It’s too dicey to base this policy on what might happen in the coming year.
▪ Taking the mountain road is always a bit dicey at this time of year.
▷ precarious /prɪˈke ə riəs/ [adjective]
involving a serious possibility of failure or loss :
▪ No one would lend money to a company in such a precarious position.
▪ The typical peasant farmer has a precarious existence, at the mercy of flood, disease and famine.
▪ His political position has become extremely precarious.
3. to do something even though there is a risk
▷ take a risk /ˌteɪk ə ˈrɪsk/ [verb phrase]
to decide to do something, even though you know that something bad or harmful might happen as a result :
▪ I knew we were taking a risk when we lent him the money.
▪ Nobody is successful in business without taking a few risks.
▪ Climbers like the thrill that taking risks gives them.
take a calculated risk
decide to do something after thinking very carefully about the risks
▪ Most investors study the market and take calculated risks.
▷ take a chance also chance it informal /ˌteɪk ə ˈtʃɑːns, ˈtʃɑːns ɪtǁ-ˈtʃæns/ [verb phrase]
to decide to do something even though there is a risk, because you think that you will succeed :
▪ Victor took a chance and set up his own company, which has been very successful.
▪ Isaacs chanced it with a long three-point shot at goal in the last minute of the game.
take a chance on
hope that something happens
▪ He persuaded the record company to take a chance on the band, and it became a huge hit.
take chances
always be ready to take a chance, especially in your work
▪ There are a lot of people in the movie industry who are afraid to take chances and do new things.
▷ risk /rɪsk/ [transitive verb]
to do something that you know might have a harmful or negative result :
▪ He risked a cautious glance over the wall, and saw a group of guards standing by the gate.
risk doing something
▪ I decided to risk looking for a place to stay when I got there, rather than booking in advance.
risk it
▪ Road conditions were supposed to be pretty bad, but we decided to risk it.
▷ stick your neck out /ˌstɪk jɔːʳ ˈnek aʊt/ [verb phrase] informal
to do something or give your opinion about something, even though you know there is a risk that you are wrong or will be criticized :
▪ The evidence is good, but I won’t stick my neck out until all the data is in.
▪ Look, I’ll stick my neck out and say it’ll be finished by tomorrow evening.
▷ take the plunge /ˌteɪk ðə ˈplʌndʒ/ [verb phrase]
to finally decide to do something important but which involves some risk, after thinking about it very carefully :
▪ Forsyth took the plunge into politics in 1996.
▪ ‘Are you two getting married?’ ‘Yes. We’ve decided to take the plunge.’
▷ at your own risk /ət jɔːr ˌəʊn ˈrɪsk/ [adverb]
if you do something at your own risk, it will be your own fault if something bad happens - used especially on official signs and notices to warn people :
▪ Visitors who park their cars in the corner lot do so at their own risk.
▪ Journalists were allowed into the area, but only at their own risk.
▷ at the risk of doing something /ət ðə ˌrɪsk əv ˈduːɪŋ something/ [preposition] spoken
say this when what you are going to say or do might make someone angry, upset etc :
▪ A school has to be able to make rules about students’ dress, even at the risk of upsetting parents.
▪ At the risk of sounding like your mother, you’d better dress up warm.
▪ This is a point which -- at the risk of being boring -- I must emphasize once again.
▷ risk-taking /ˈrɪsk teɪkɪŋ/ [uncountable noun]
when people deliberately take risks in order to achieve something - use this especially about actions in business or dangerous sports :
▪ The culture in Silicon Valley values risk-taking and entrepreneurship.
▪ Risk-taking has long been a feature of the theatre company’s productions, which have tackled many difficult issues.
4. to do something that involves unnecessary risks
▷ be asking for trouble /biː ˈɑːskɪŋ fəʳ ˌtrʌb ə lǁ-ˈæsk-/ [verb phrase]
to stupidly do something that is almost certain to be dangerous or cause trouble :
▪ Anyone who buys second-hand car tires is just asking for trouble.
▪ You need to have a good knowledge of the industry before you buy stocks, or you’re asking for trouble.
▷ invite /ɪnˈvaɪt/ [transitive verb] especially written
if you invite trouble, criticism, attack etc, you do something that seems likely to cause you trouble or that encourages people to criticize you, attack you etc :
▪ If you don’t maintain your car regularly, you’re just inviting trouble.
▪ Not to provide aid will just invite further catastrophe in the area.
▷ push your luck /ˌpʊʃ jɔːʳ ˈlʌk/ [verb phrase] informal
to do something that involves a risk of failure, because you have been successful when you have done it before :
▪ I think I’d be pushing my luck if I asked him to babysit again on such short notice.
▪ Twelve months later, the captain of Sea Rover pushed his luck once too often.
▷ tempt fate /ˌtempt ˈfeɪt/ [verb phrase]
to do something that involves unnecessary risk, because you are too confident that there will be no problems :
▪ It would be tempting fate to travel without a spare wheel.
▪ By building houses in the steep canyons, Californians are tempting fate in the form of mudslides and fires.
▷ be playing with fire /biː ˌpleɪ-ɪŋ wɪð ˈfaɪəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to stupidly take a risk, especially by doing something or getting involved in a situation that is likely to have a very unpleasant result :
▪ The government was warned it was playing with fire by arresting so-called ‘separatist’ leaders.
▪ Anyone who gets involved with a married man is playing with fire.
5. to risk losing something
▷ risk /rɪsk/ [transitive verb]
to risk losing something, especially in order to gain something else :
▪ Companies cannot risk losing customers through computer problems.
▪ The university has already cut its budget as much as possible without risking its quality and reputation.
risk something on something
▪ You’d have to be crazy to risk your money on an investment like that.
▷ gamble/take a gamble /ˈgæmb ə l, ˌteɪk ə ˈgæmb ə l/ [intransitive/transitive verb or verb phrase]
to do something even though there is a risk of failure or loss, because you will gain a lot if it is successful :
▪ They seem to be gambling the whole future of the compamy in return for a quick short-term profit.
▪ If we gamble and succeed, no one will mind. But if we gamble and fail, we’ll probably lose our jobs.
▪ In 1972, NBC took a gamble and created a show featuring Redd Foxx, a black comic whose stage routines were somewhat off-color.
gamble/take a gamble that
▪ During the drought, water companies used water from the emergency reservoirs, gambling that normal rainfall would soon fill them up again.
gamble/take a gamble on
▪ The team took a gamble on Whitney, who is fast and an accurate player, but only five-foot-nine.
▷ put something on the line /ˌpʊt something ɒn ðə ˈlaɪn/ [verb phrase]
if you put your job, career, reputation etc on the line, you risk losing your job, reputation etc if something is not successful or if you make the wrong decision :
▪ Whatever type of company you have, you put your reputation on the line when you handle complaint calls.
▪ Many workers feel they may be putting their jobs on the line if they protest about safety abuses.
▷ stake something on /ˈsteɪk something ɒn/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to risk losing something important if the result of a plan or action is not successful :
▪ Lincoln staked his political career on opposition to slavery.
▪ She had staked her academic reputation on the accuracy of her research.
▷ speculate /ˈspekjɑleɪt/ [intransitive verb]
to buy a large amount of shares, land, or foreign money because you hope to make a big profit when you sell it, even though you risk losing your money :
▪ Her father made his money speculating on the New York Stock Exchange.
speculate in shares/land etc
▪ Terry speculated heavily in mining shares and lost a lot of money.
speculation /ˌspekjɑˈleɪʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
▪ Irresponsible speculation can cause serious distortions in the stock market.
6. when you are in a situation where there are risks
▷ risk /rɪsk/ [transitive verb]
to get into a situation where something very unpleasant might happen to you as a result of something you do :
▪ Many refugees risk death or arrest in their attempts to flee persecution.
risk doing something
▪ I don’t want to risk offending your parents.
risk your life
▪ The Carnegie Hero awards are given to those who risk their lives to save others.
▷ run a risk /ˌrʌn ə ˈrɪsk/ [verb phrase]
to be in a situation where something bad might happen to you, especially because of something you do :
▪ The people who use these drugs are often unaware of the risks they are running.
run a risk of doing something
▪ Men run a greater risk of dying from heart disease than women.
▪ Rather than running the risks of using harmful pesticides in your garden, try using natural or organic methods of pest control.
▷ be at risk /biː ət ˈrɪsk/ [verb phrase]
to be in a situation in which you risk being harmed or losing something very important or valuable :
▪ The children were removed from the family because their father was violent and they were believed to be at risk.
be at risk of also + for
American
▪ Those with fair skin are more at risk of skin cancers than those with dark skin.
▪ Some firms provide health checks for employees who are at risk of back injury.
▷ be in danger /biː ɪn ˈdeɪndʒər/ [verb phrase]
to be in a situation in which something harmful might happen, often caused by your own actions :
▪ The test helps identify pregnant women who are in danger of miscarriage.
be in danger of doing something
▪ The Democrats are in danger of alienating their traditional supporters.
▪ If the team doesn’t start winning, Coach Sanders could be in danger of losing his job.
▷ high-risk /ˌhaɪ ˈrɪsk◂/ [adjective only before noun]
likely to be in particular danger of something bad happening, or likely to involve greater risks than usual :
▪ high-risk occupations such as construction work
▪ The AIDS awareness campaign was targeted mainly at high-risk groups, especially drug users and prostitutes.
▷ lay yourself open to also leave yourself open to American /ˌleɪ jɔːʳself ˈəʊpən tuː, ˌliːv jɔːʳself ˈəʊpən tuː/ [verb phrase]
to do or say something that makes it likely that people will blame you, criticize you etc :
▪ He has left himself open to charges of racism.
▪ Any journalist who writes a story without checking his facts is simply laying himself open to criticism.
▷ be on dangerous ground/in dangerous territory /biː ɒn ˌdeɪndʒ ə rəs ˈgraʊnd, ɪn ˌdeɪndʒərəs ˈterə̇t ə riǁ-tɔːri/ [verb phrase]
to talk about a particular subject when there is a risk that you may offend, annoy, or or upset someone :
▪ A boss who puts his arm around an employee is on dangerous ground and could risk charges of harassment.
▪ I realized I was in dangerous territory, and steered the conversation away from his business interests.
7. in a situation where there are risks
▷ be at risk /biː ət ˈrɪsk/ [verb phrase]
if something is at risk, it could be harmed, destroyed or lost :
▪ Unless funding becomes available, the entire project is at risk.
be at risk of
▪ Wildlife along the coastline is at risk of serious pollution from the tankers.
be at risk from
▪ The future of the party is clearly at risk from internal divisions.
at-risk [adjective only before noun]
▪ at-risk children
▪ at-risk patients
▷ be in danger /biː ɪn ˈdeɪndʒəʳ/ [verb phrase]
if something is in danger, especially something very important, there is a serious risk that it will be harmed, destroyed, or lost :
▪ With the rise of the fascist right, democracy itself was in danger.
be in danger of doing something
▪ The whole building is in danger of collapsing.
▪ The achievements of the 1917 Revolution are now in danger of being forgotten.
▷ be in jeopardy /biː ɪn ˈdʒepəʳdi/ [verb phrase]
if something, especially a plan, an agreement, or a relationship is in jeopardy, there is a serious risk that it will fail, be lost, or be harmed :
▪ Negotiations have broken down, and the peace agreement is now in jeopardy.
▪ Lessing’s career in football was in jeopardy after his back surgery in July.
▷ be at stake /biː ət ˈsteɪk/ [verb phrase]
if something important or valuable is at stake, there is a risk that it will be lost if something that you are doing is unsuccessful :
▪ With a place in the final at stake, there was everything to play for.
▪ The peace process will not end; there is too much at stake.
▷ be under threat /biː ˌʌndəʳ ˈθret/ [verb phrase]
if something important and valuable is under threat, there is a risk that it will be lost or destroyed unless someone takes action to stop the situation that causes it :
▪ With so many new offices being built in London, a lot of important archaeological remains are under threat.
be under threat from
▪ Sensitive environmental areas are under threat from urban developers.
be under threat of
▪ Demand for coal fell, and many of the mines were under threat of closure.
▷ be on the line /biː ɒn ðə ˈlaɪn/ [verb phrase]
if something such as your job or people’s opinion of you is on the line, there is a risk that you will lose it if you do not succeed in something that you are trying to do :
▪ A company’s reputation is on the line in the way it handles complaints.
▪ Your job’s on the line in this case - you’d better make sure you’re right.
8. to cause risks
▷ put somebody/something at risk /ˌpʊt somebody/something ət ˈrɪsk/ [verb phrase]
to do something that makes it more likely that someone or something will be harmed :
▪ The pilot has been accused of putting his passengers’ lives at risk.
▪ Development in the wetlands will put the environment and wildlife habitats at risk.
put sb/sth at risk of
▪ Some people carry a gene that puts them at greater risk of certain cancers.
▷ threaten /ˈθretn/ [transitive verb]
to make it likely that something bad will happen to someone or something :
▪ A severe drought is threatening the rice crop.
▪ According to some scientists, global warming threatens the survival of the whole human race.
▷ endanger /ɪnˈdeɪndʒəʳ/ [transitive verb]
to put someone or something in a dangerous or harmful situation :
▪ The U.S. was unwilling to do anything that might endanger the alliance with Japan.
▪ The pilot refused to endanger the lives of his passengers by making an unscheduled landing.
▪ If unemployment continues to rise, social stability may be endangered.
▷ jeopardize also put/place something in jeopardy /ˈdʒepəʳdaɪz, ˌpʊt, ˌpleɪs something ɪn ˈdʒepəʳdi/ [transitive verb]
to do something that increases the risk that something good will be harmed or lost :
▪ A scandal like this might jeopardize his political career.
▪ The breaking of the ceasefire has put the whole peace process in jeopardy.
seriously jeopardize
▪ The country’s economic future is seriously jeopardized by the mass emigration of young people.