ADVENTURE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does adventure mean? 

• ADVENTURE (noun)
  The noun ADVENTURE has 1 sense:

1. a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

  Familiarity information: ADVENTURE used as a noun is very rare.

• ADVENTURE (verb)
  The verb ADVENTURE has 2 senses:

1. take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

2. put at risk

  Familiarity information: ADVENTURE used as a verb is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ADVENTURE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

adventure; dangerous undertaking; escapade; risky venture

Hypernyms ("adventure" is a kind of...):

labor; project; task; undertaking (any piece of work that is undertaken or attempted)

Derivation:

adventure (take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome)

adventure (put at risk)

adventurer (a person who enjoys taking risks)

adventurer (someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose))

adventuristic (of or pertaining to adventurism)

adventurous (willing to undertake or seeking out new and daring enterprises)

• ADVENTURE (verb)

Present simple: I / you / we / they adventure    ... he / she / it adventures   
Past simple: adventured   
Past participle: adventured   
-ing form: adventuring   

Sense 1

Meaning:

Take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

adventure; chance; gamble; hazard; risk; run a risk; take a chance; take chances

Context example:

When you buy these stocks you are gambling

Hypernyms (to "adventure" is one way to...):

assay; attempt; essay; seek; try (make an effort or attempt)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "adventure"):

go for broke (risk everything in one big effort)

luck it; luck through (act by relying on one's luck)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Derivation:

adventure (a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful))

adventurer (a person who enjoys taking risks)

adventurer (someone who travels into little known regions (especially for some scientific purpose))

Sense 2

Meaning:

Put at risk

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Synonyms:

adventure; hazard; jeopardize; stake; venture

Context example:

I will stake my good reputation for this

Hypernyms (to "adventure" is one way to...):

lay on the line; put on the line; risk (expose to a chance of loss or damage)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

adventure (a wild and exciting undertaking (not necessarily lawful))

adventurer (a person who enjoys taking risks)

 Context examples 

The high object of our mission, the consciousness that it was unselfish and chivalrous, the villainous character of our opponent, all added to the sporting interest of the adventure.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

And yet somehow on that particular night, whether it may have been the slight excitement produced by my little adventure or not I know not, but I slept much more lightly than usual.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"How did it happen? I am sure it must have been some adventure."

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Now I have told you all my adventures, Mr. Holmes, and I should be very glad if you could tell me what it all means, and, above all, what I should do.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Another night adventure. Renfield artfully waited until the attendant was entering the room to inspect. Then he dashed out past him and flew down the passage.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

There is one green hand in the crew, Harrison by name, a clumsy-looking country boy, mastered, I imagine, by the spirit of adventure, and making his first voyage.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

“I am afraid, Mr. Darcy,” observed Miss Bingley in a half whisper, “that this adventure has rather affected your admiration of her fine eyes.”

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

I recognized the adventure of Yamikan as one likely to occur in the early days when Alaska first passed into the possession of the United States.

(Love of Life and Other Stories, by Jack London)

He composed heroic songs and began to write many a tale of enchantment and knightly adventure.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

All was drawing alow and aloft; everyone was in the bravest spirits because we were now so near an end of the first part of our adventure.

(Treasure Island, by Robert Louis Stevenson)