I. ˈrisk, dial ˈresk noun
( -s )
Etymology: French risque, from Italian risco, risico, rischio
1. : the possibility of loss, injury, disadvantage, or destruction : contingency , danger , peril , threat
the infinite care and risk which are involved in the dangerous mission of bomb disposal — E.A.Weeks
foreign ships and planes refused to run the risk of attack — Collier's Year Book
2. : someone or something that creates or suggests a hazard or adverse chance : a dangerous element or factor — often used with qualifiers to indicate the degree or kind of hazard
the wife who didn't fix her husband a good breakfast … wasn't a good risk — W.H.Whyte
must be kept clean and free from fire risks — Peter Heaton
a poor risk for surgery
3.
a.
(1) : the chance of loss or the perils to the subject matter of insurance covered by a contract
(2) : the degree of probability of such loss
b. : amount at risk
c. : a person or thing judged as a (specified) hazard to an insurer
a poor risk for insurance
d. : an insurance hazard from a (specified) cause or source
war risk
disaster risk
4. : the product of the amount that may be lost and the probability of losing it — compare expectation 6b
Synonyms: see danger
II. verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: French risquer, from Italian riscare, risicare, rischiare, from risco, risico, rischio
transitive verb
1. : to expose to hazard or danger
wasn't going to risk his neck — Barnaby Conrad
father and son were ready to risk their futures on the book business alone — A.E.Peterson
2. : to incur the risk or danger of : venture upon
these privateers risked being hung as pirates — American Guide Series: New Hampshire
intransitive verb
: to take risks
Synonyms: see venture
III. ˈrisk intransitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: probably of imitative origin
Scotland : to make a crackling or grating sound
IV. noun
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- at risk