hazard
/'hæzəd/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A source of danger; a risk: A "hazard" is something that could potentially cause harm, loss, or misfortune.
- An obstacle: In specific contexts like golf, a "hazard" is a physical feature on the course (like a sand bunker or water) that presents a difficulty.
- Chance, luck: An older or more formal meaning referring to an unpredictable event or phenomenon.
Verb:
- To risk or venture: To expose something to danger or loss.
- To offer or put forward tentatively: To make a guess, suggestion, or remark with some risk of being wrong.
Examples
Noun:
- Ice on the road is a major driving hazard. (The ice is a source of danger.)
- The golfer carefully avoided the water hazard. (The water was an obstacle on the golf course.)
- They succeeded more by hazard than by skill. (They succeeded more by chance.)
Verb:
- He hazarded his entire fortune on the new business venture. (He risked his fortune.)
- May I hazard a guess about what happened? (May I tentatively offer a guess?)
Advanced Usage
- "At all hazards": Regardless of all risks or dangers.
- The soldiers were ordered to hold the bridge at all hazards.
- "In hazard": In danger; at risk.
- His reputation was in hazard after the scandal.
Variants and Related Words
- Hazardous (adj): Involving risk or danger.
- Fixing the roof is a hazardous job.
- Hazardousness (n): The quality of being hazardous.
Synonyms
- Noun (Danger): Danger, risk, peril, threat.
- Noun (Chance): Chance, fortune, luck.
- Verb (Risk): Risk, venture, gamble, stake.
- Verb (Suggest): Venture, offer, advance, proffer.
Related Phrasal Verbs
(Note: "Hazard" is not commonly used in phrasal verb constructions. The verb is typically used transitively.)
Related Idioms
- "Hazard a guess": To make a guess, especially when unsure.
- I don't know the answer, but I'll hazard a guess.
- "Hazard one's life": To risk one's life.
- Firefighters hazard their lives to save others.
Noun
- an obstacle on a golf course
- an unknown and unpredictable phenomenon that causes an event to result one way rather than another
- bad luck caused his downfall
- we ran into each other by pure chance
- a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune
- drinking alcohol is a health hazard
Verb
- take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome
- When you buy these stocks you are gambling
- put at risk
- I will stake my good reputation for this
- put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
- I am guessing that the price of real estate will rise again
- I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong