Etimology
From earlier risque, from Middle French risque, from Old Italian risco (“risk”) (modern Italian rischio) and rischiare (“to run into danger”). Displaced native Old English pleoh (“risk”) and plēon (“to risk”).
noun
risk (countable and uncountable, plural risks)
(uncountable) The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.
(uncountable) The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
(uncountable, economics, business and engineering) The potential negative effect of an event, determined by multiplying the likelihood of the event occurring with its magnitude should it occur.
(countable) A possible adverse event or outcome.
(countable) A thing (from the perspective of how likely or unlikely it is to cause an adverse effect).
Examples
There is risk of being brutalized, arrested, imprisoned and tortured, all because I want you to know the truth about this matter.
What crop 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.
Risk is everywhere. From tabloid headlines insisting that coffee causes cancer 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.
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.
Will they find the prospect of greater risk a cause for concern, rather than a gift from the right?
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
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.
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.
Synonyms: danger, peril, hazard
the imminent and constant risk of assassination, a risk which has shaken very strong nerves
That man is going to be a big risk once he's out of prison.
Those stairs are a major risk.
There was also a "degree of complacency" that the weather in the country was not good enough to present a health risk.
A good credit rating indicates the customer is a desirable risk.
Subprime mortgages are poor risks; especially for a pension scheme.
Related words
hyponyms
(formal business and engineering): variance, standard deviation, downside beta
verb
risk (third-person singular simple present risks, present participle risking, simple past and past participle risked)
(transitive) To incur risk of (an unwanted or negative outcome).
(transitive) To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
(transitive) To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
Examples
These people are putting themselves in danger by physically being on or near to the railway lines and risking serious injury.
England captain David Beckham has warned Wayne Rooney not to risk his long-term future by rushing his return from injury.
After coming to New York, I decided to risk cycling again.