/ ˈæksɪdənt; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C ] an unpleasant event, especially in a vehicle, that happens unexpectedly and causes injury or damage :
a car / road / traffic accident
He was killed in an accident .
One in seven accidents is caused by sleepy drivers.
The accident happened at 3 p.m.
to have an accident
a serious / minor accident
a fatal accident (= in which sb is killed)
accidents in the home
a climbing / riding accident
Take out accident insurance before you go on your trip.
I didn't mean to break it— it was an accident .
2.
[ C , U ] something that happens unexpectedly and is not planned in advance :
Their early arrival was just an accident.
It is no accident that men fill most of the top jobs in nursing.
an accident of birth / fate / history (= describing facts and events that are due to chance or circumstances)
➡ note at luck
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IDIOMS
- accidents will happen
- by accident
—more at chapter , wait verb
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WORD ORIGIN
late Middle English (in the general sense an event ): via Old French from Latin accident- happening, from the verb accidere , from ad- towards, to + cadere to fall.