misadventure
/mɪsədˈvɛntʃə
/noun
1 (also death by misadventure) [mass noun] English Law Death caused by a person accidentally while performing a legal act without negligence or intent to harm: the coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure...
- Having a majority of eleven against him, the wise juryman consented to a merciful verdict of death by misadventure.
- The jury at the inquest into his death recorded a verdict of death by misadventure yesterday.
- An inquest recorded a verdict of death by misadventure after hearing she died of acute peritonitis, caused by the perforation of her bowel during the operation.
2An unfortunate incident; a mishap: the petty misdemeanours and misadventures of childhood...
- They also handle everyday mishaps and misadventures, such as broken teeth, sprained backs and stomach viruses.
- After numerous dunkings, mishaps and misadventures, he made it to the starting line.
- We don't believe anybody but Roberto could bring magic and fun to Pinocchio's misadventures in this classic tale.
Synonyms
accident, problem, difficulty, misfortune, mishap, mischance;
unfortunate incident, setback, reverse, reverse of fortune, stroke of bad luck, blow;
trouble, failure, disaster, tragedy, calamity, woe, trial, tribulation, catastrophe, contretemps, reversal, upset, debacle
British informal car crash
Origin
Middle English (in sense 2): from Old French mesaventure, from mesavenir 'turn out badly'.