risk

• risque (archaic)

From earlier risque, from Middle French risque, from Italian risco (“risk”) (modern Italian rischio) and rischiare (“to run into danger”).

• IPA^(key): /ɹɪsk/

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• Homophones: RISC, risque (rare dialect)
• Rhymes: -ɪsk

risk (countable and uncountable, plural risks)

1. (countable) A possible adverse event or outcome

   Synonyms: danger, peril, hazard

   • (Can we date this quote?) Macaulay

     the imminent and constant risk of assassination, a risk which has shaken very strong nerves

   • 2006, BBC News website, Farmers warned over skin cancer read at on 14 May 2006

     There was also a "degree of complacency" that the weather in the country was not good enough to present a health risk.

2. The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.

   There is risk of being brutalized, arrested, imprisoned and tortured, all because I want you to know the truth about this matter.

   • 1994, S. I. Bhuiyan, (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎, page 36:

     What crop(s) to plant, how much area to devote to each crop, and how much risk to take with respect to rainfall during the season are some of the decisions that must be made.

   • 2006, Trever Ramsey on BBC News website, Exercise 'cuts skin cancer risk' read at on 14 May 2006
   • 2013 June 22, “Snakes and ladders”, in The Economist, volume 407, number 8841, page 76:

     Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer (yesterday, of course, it cured it) to stern government warnings about alcohol and driving, the world is teeming with goblins. For each one there is a frighteningly precise measurement of just how likely it is to jump from the shadows and get you.

     Taking regular exercise, coupled with a healthy diet, reduced the risk of several types of cancer.

   • 2012 January 1, Stephen Ledoux, “Behaviorism at 100”, in American Scientist, volume 100, number 1, page 60:

     Becoming more aware of the progress that scientists have made on behavioral fronts can reduce the risk that other natural scientists will resort to mystical agential accounts when they exceed the limits of their own disciplinary training.

3. The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
   • 2004 April 23, “American Families at Risk”, in The American Prospect‎:

     Will they find the prospect of greater risk a cause for concern, rather than a gift from the right?

   • 2012 December 12, “Hekia Parata will not appeal Salisbury decision”, in Manawatu Standard:

     The decision was also unlawful in disregarding the prospect of greater risk of sexual or physical abuse to girls at a co-educational residential school

   • 2006, R. Packer, The Politics of BSE‎, page 196:

     SEAC acknowledged that their recommendation was a somewhat uneasy compromise between the desire to protect the public from a small chance of a big risk and the desire not to ruin an industry, probably unnecessarily.

4. (formal use in business, engineering, etc.) The potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event, determined by combining the likelihood of the event occurring with the effect should it occur.
   • 2002, Decisioneering Inc website, What is risk? read at on 14 May 2006

     If there is a 25% chance of running over schedule, costing you a $100 out of your own pocket, that might be a risk you are willing to take. But if you have a 5% chance of running overschedule, knowing that there is a $10,000 penalty, you might be less willing to take that risk.

5. (countable, insurance) An entity insured by an insurer or the specific uncertain events that the insurer underwrites.

• (formal business and engineering): variance, standard deviation, downside beta

risk (third-person singular simple present risks, present participle risking, simple past and past participle risked)

1. (transitive) To incur risk of (something).
   • 2006, Transportation Alternatives website, Rail delays as thieves cut power read at on 14 May 2006

     These people are putting themselves in danger by physically being on or near to the railway lines and risking serious injury.

2. (transitive) To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
   • 2006, BBC Sport website, Beckham wary over Rooney comeback read at on 14 May 2006

     England captain David Beckham has warned Wayne Rooney not to risk his long-term future by rushing his return from injury.

3. (transitive) To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
   • 1999, BBC News website, Volunteer of the Month: Andrew Hay McConnell read at on 14 May 2006

     After coming to New York, I decided to risk cycling again.

• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

• roll the dice, take a chance

• risk at OneLook Dictionary Search
• risk on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

• Kris, irks, kirs, kris, riks

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• Rhymes: -ɪsk

risk c

1. risk

Old Norse hressa (“be facetious”), Helsingian ressa (“be unruly, very cheerful and lively”), Norwegian rissa (“be noisy, crazy”).

risk (preterite riskä)

1. (intransitive) To wrestle, play, joke, amuse oneself.