Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense risks, present participle risking, past tense, past participle risked
1. variable noun [NOUN that]
If there is a riskof something unpleasant, there is a possibility that it will happen.
There is a small risk of brain damage from the procedure. [+ of]
In all the confusion, there's a serious risk that the main issues will be forgotten.
...mentally disordered women who pose a serious risk to the public.
I suppose people do it because there is that element of danger and risk.
Obesity is a major risk factor in many diseases.
Synonyms: danger, chance, threat, possibility More Synonyms of risk
2. countable noun
If something that you do is a risk, it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
You're taking a big risk showing this to Kravis.
This was one risk that paid off.
Synonyms: gamble, chance, venture, speculation More Synonyms of risk
3. countable noun
If you say that something or someone is a risk, you mean they are likely to cause harm.
It's being overfat that constitutes a health risk.
The restaurant has been refurbished–it was found to be a fire risk.
He was not seen as a risk to national security.
4. countable noun
If you are considered a good risk, a bank or shop thinks that it is safe to lend you money or let you have goods without paying for them at the time.
Before providing the cash, they will have to decide whether you are a good or badrisk.
If you are considered a credit risk, a secured loan might be your only alternative.
5. verb
If you risk something unpleasant, you do something which might result in that thing happening or affecting you.
Those who fail to register risk severe penalties. [VERB noun/verb-ing]
Synonyms: stand a chance of, chance, venture, take the risk of More Synonyms of risk
6. verb
If you risk doing something, you do it, even though you know that it might have undesirable consequences.
The captain was not willing to risk taking his ship through the straits in such badweather. [V v-ing/n]
At the top, I risked a glance back. [V -ing/n]
Don't risk it. It isn't worth it. [V -ing/n]
7. verb
If you risk your life or something else important, you behave in a way that might result in it being lost or harmed.
She risked her own life to help a disabled woman. [VERB noun]
Why should he have risked all that to become an agent of a foreign power? [VERB noun]
Synonyms: dare, endanger, jeopardize, imperil More Synonyms of risk
8.
See at risk
9.
See at the risk of sth
10.
See at one's own risk
11.
See to run a risk
12. to risk your neck
More Synonyms of risk
risk in British English
(rɪsk)
noun
1.
the possibility of incurring misfortune or loss; hazard
2. insurance
a.
chance of a loss or other event on which a claim may be filed
b.
the type of such an event, such as fire or theft
c.
the amount of the claim should such an event occur
d.
a person or thing considered with respect to the characteristics that may cause an insured event to occur
3. at risk
4. no risk
5. take a risk
verb(transitive)
6.
to expose to danger or loss; hazard
7.
to act in spite of the possibility of (injury or loss)
to risk a fall in climbing
Derived forms
risker (ˈrisker)
noun
Word origin
C17: from French risque, from Italian risco, from rischiare to be in peril, from Greek rhiza cliff (from the hazards of sailing along rocky coasts)
risk in American English
(rɪsk)
noun
1.
the chance of injury, damage, or loss; dangerous chance; hazard
2. Insurance
a.
the chance of loss
b.
the degree of probability of loss
c.
the amount of possible loss to the insuring company
d.
a person or thing with reference to the risk involved in providing insurance
e.
the type of loss that a policy covers, as fire, storm, etc.
verb transitive
3.
to expose to the chance of injury, damage, or loss; hazard
to risk one's life
4.
to incur the risk of
to risk a fight
SIMILAR WORDS: ˈdanger
Idioms:
at risk
Derived forms
risker (ˈrisker)
noun
Word origin
Fr risque < It risco, risico < risicare, to risk < VL *risicare
risk in Chemical Engineering
(rɪsk)
noun
(Chemical Engineering: Process safety)
Risk is a measure of how likely it is that injury, damage, or loss will happen.
The risk from exposure to 1 ppm of benzene for a working lifetime has been estimated as fiveexcess leukemia deaths per 1000 employees exposed.
The risk from pesticide residues in food is far less than that from natural poisons.
Risk is a measure of how likely it is that injury, damage, or loss will happen.
risk analysis
risk in Insurance
(rɪsk)
Word forms: (regular plural) risks
noun
(Insurance: General)
A risk is a person or thing that is insured against as it may be harmed, damaged, or lost.
The policy wording needs to be precise, and certain risks may be excluded from the coverage in order to keep the premium affordable.
In individual insurance, each person's risk potential is evaluated to determine insurability.
A risk is a person or thing that is insured against as it may be harmed, damaged, or lost.
accept a risk, all-risk policy, assumption of risk, biometric risk, calculate a risk, exclude a risk, high-risk, longevity risk, low-risk, manage a risk, mitigate a risk, pool a risk, reduce a risk, retention of risk, risk excess of loss, risk management, risk manager, risk pooling
More idioms containing
risk
risk life and limb
risk your neck
COBUILD Collocations
risk
currency risk
default risk
excessive risk
huge risk
safety risk
substantial risk
systemic risk
unacceptable risk
unnecessary risk
Examples of 'risk' in a sentence
risk
Employees were informed that there was a risk of capital loss.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
Why do you think immigrants risk their life to come here?
The Sun (2016)
The same should apply to the risk of running up a huge bill for residential care.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
But technology in itself is also a risk if people become disconnected with nature.
Smithsonian Mag (2017)
That it is a much bigger risk to our health than salt.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
These are the people at most risk of diseases but we can only find them by scanning.
Times, Sunday Times (2017)
You may be risking so much.
The Sun (2016)
It turns out this is one of the models that's a fire risk.
The Sun (2016)
I do not want to risk my good relationship with the coach.
The Sun (2016)
Women in public office already risk death threats.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
These people are not sensitive to the dangers and risks involved.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
We are all at risk as a result.
The Sun (2007)
These cuts will save millions but will put countless vulnerable people at increased risk.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
But it fears thousands of people may be risking their lives by not getting suspect moles checked.
The Sun (2008)
We often compromise ourselves to the point of risking our health.
Kretschmann, Gudrun Ten Keys to Loving Relationships (1994)
What are the risk factors for skin cancer?
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The ministers argue that being exposed to risk is a good thing for pupils.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
And they may also run a higher risk of more serious ailments.
The Sun (2012)
Seats are not padded as they once were because of fire risk.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
This is one of the biggest risks facing the world.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The economic recovery would be at risk under anybody else.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The was still no appetite for risk and banks and shops gave ground.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
Those with the supplement showed less signs of bone loss plus less risk of heart disease.
The Sun (2015)
Investors who refuse to accept credit risk must keep their bonds in some currency or other.
Times, Sunday Times (2009)
To do so would be to risk serious damage to the real economy.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
Yet risk is not something necessarily to be feared.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
There is already a high risk of industrial action over likely savage cuts in public spending.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
Read more about the dangers of being risk averse in our story opposite.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
These plans risk causing damage not to the people being targeted but to the innocent and the vulnerable.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
The charity has begun a campaign to raise awareness of the causes and risks of coronary heart disease.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Now baffled docs fear her life is at risk because of a lack of protein, vitamins and minerals.
The Sun (2011)
Taking risks becomes an addiction.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In other languages
risk
British English: risk /rɪsk/ NOUN
If there is a risk of something unpleasant, there is a possibility that it will happen.
There is a risk that this project will fail.
American English: risk
Arabic: مُخَاطَرَة
Brazilian Portuguese: risco perigo
Chinese: 风险
Croatian: rizik
Czech: riziko
Danish: risiko
Dutch: risico
European Spanish: riesgo
Finnish: riski
French: risque
German: Risiko
Greek: κίνδυνος
Italian: rischio
Japanese: 危険
Korean: 위험
Norwegian: risiko
Polish: ryzyko
European Portuguese: risco
Romanian: risc
Russian: риск
Latin American Spanish: riesgo
Swedish: risk
Thai: ความเสี่ยง
Turkish: risk
Ukrainian: ризик
Vietnamese: rủi ro
British English: risk /rɪsk/ VERB
If you risk something unpleasant, you do something knowing that the unpleasant thing might happen as a result.
He's willing to risk making a fool of himself.
American English: risk
Arabic: يُجَازِفُ
Brazilian Portuguese: arriscar
Chinese: 冒险
Croatian: riskirati
Czech: riskovat
Danish: risikere
Dutch: riskeren
European Spanish: arriesgar
Finnish: riskeerata
French: risquer
German: riskieren
Greek: διακινδυνεύω
Italian: rischiare
Japanese: 危険にさらす
Korean: 위험을 무릅쓰다
Norwegian: risikere
Polish: zaryzykować
European Portuguese: arriscar
Romanian: a risca
Russian: рисковать
Latin American Spanish: arriesgar
Swedish: riskera
Thai: เสี่ยง
Turkish: tehlikeye atmak
Ukrainian: ризикувати
Vietnamese: liều lĩnh
All related terms of 'risk'
at risk
To be at risk means to be in a situation where something unpleasant might happen .
de-risk
to eliminate risk (from)
no risk
an expression of assent
fire risk
something which is likely to cause a fire or make a fire worse
high-risk
denoting a group, part, etc, that is particularly subject or exposed to a danger
huge risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
low-risk
A low-risk customer, risk , occupation , or property is not very likely to be exposed to a danger .
credit risk
a person or institution judged to be unlikely to be able to repay a loan
flight risk
a person who has been charged with a crime and is considered likely to attempt to escape to another country before his or her trial
health risk
something that could cause harm to people's health
risk death
Death is the permanent end of the life of a person or animal.
risk factor
a factor , such as a habit or an environmental condition , that predisposes an individual to develop a particular disease
risk taker
If there are no takers for something such as an investment or a challenge , nobody is willing to accept it.
risk-taking
Risk-taking means taking actions which might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
safety risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
assigned risk
a risk that, under state law, is assigned to an insurer from a pool of insurers who would not otherwise accept it
country risk
the risk associated with an overseas investment due to the conditions prevailing in the country in which it is made
currency risk
If there is a risk of something unpleasant , there is a possibility that it will happen .
default risk
If there is a risk of something unpleasant , there is a possibility that it will happen .
downside risk
an estimate of the potential loss of value of an investment in a falling market
risk analysis
A risk analysis is a process of deciding how likely it is that injury , damage, or loss will happen , and what the effects will be if it does happen.
risk aversion
a strong disinclination to take risks
risk capital
capital invested in an issue of ordinary shares, esp of a speculative enterprise
risk manager
A risk manager is a person who works in risk management .
risk pooling
Risk pooling is the practice of sharing all risks among a group of insurance companies.
security risk
If you describe someone as a security risk , you mean that they may be a threat to the safety of a country or organization .
systemic risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
biometric risk
Biometric risk covers all risks related to human life conditions, such as death , birth , disability , age , and number of children.
calculated risk
a chance of failure , the probability of which is estimated before some action is undertaken
excessive risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
longevity risk
Longevity risk is the potential risk attached to the increasing life expectancy of policyholders , which can result in higher than expected payouts for insurance companies.
pool a risk
If an insurer pools a risk , it takes on a share of each risk underwritten by every other member in an association of insurers or reinsurers.
regulatory risk
a risk to which private companies are subject, arising from the possibility of legislation or regulations that will affect business being adopted by a government
risk assessment
the evaluation of the possible risks in a product,situation, activity or course of action
risk infection
An infection is a disease caused by germs or bacteria.
risk management
Risk management is the skill or job of deciding what the risks are in a particular situation and taking action to prevent or reduce them.
risk reduction
Reduction is the act of making something smaller in size or amount, or less in degree.
take a risk
to proceed in an action without regard to the possibility of danger involved in it
accept a risk
If an insurance company accepts a risk , it agrees to underwrite a risk or to accept a person or company as a client .
counterparty risk
the risk that a person who is a party to a contract will default on their obligations under that contract
exclude a risk
If an insurance company excludes a risk , they declare that a particular risk is not covered by an insurance policy .
manage a risk
If you manage a risk , you analyze how much you are in danger from a particular risk or hazard , and decide how to best deal with it.
reduce a risk
If you reduce a risk , you lessen the potential damage that could be caused by a hazard or danger .
risk your neck
to do something dangerous which could result in your being killed or injured
substantial risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
unacceptable risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
unnecessary risk
If something that you do is a risk , it might have unpleasant or undesirable results.
all-risk policy
An all-risk policy is an insurance policy that covers all loss or damage however it is caused, apart from any stated exceptions .
assumption of risk
Assumption of risk is the practice of paying for minor losses yourself, but protecting against catastrophic losses by buying insurance cover.
at-risk register
an official list of people or things considered to be exposed to possible threat , such as children in potentially abusive households or historic buildings in need of maintenance