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adventure

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English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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    From Middle English aventure, aunter, anter, from Old French aventure, from Vulgar Latin *adventūra, from Latin adventūrus (about to arrive, (Vulgar Latin) about to happen), future active participle of adveniō (to arrive), which in the Romance languages took the sense of "to happen, befall" (see also advene). By surface analysis, advent +‎ -ure.

    Compare Scots adventur, Swedish äventyr, German Abenteuer.

    Noun

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    adventure (countable and uncountable, plural adventures)

    1. (uncountable) A feeling of desire for new and exciting things.
      Antonym: abstention
      his sense of adventure
    2. A remarkable occurrence; a striking event.
      a life full of adventures
    3. A daring feat; a bold undertaking, in which dangers are likely to be encountered, and the issue is staked upon unforeseen events; the encountering of risks.
    4. A mercantile or speculative enterprise of hazard; a venture; a shipment by a merchant on his own account.
    5. (video games) A text adventure or an adventure game.
      • 1984 May, “Spyplane”, in Crash[1], number 4, (review):
        The first thing to strike me about Spyplane was that it is more like a verbal simulation than an adventure.
      • 1988 May, Mike Gerrard, “The Guild of Thieves [review]”, in Your Sinclair[2], number 29, archived from the original on 26 May 2013:
        To sum up, I think this is definitely one of the best adventures around for the Spectrum now, along with Gnome Ranger[...]
      • 1992 October, Larry Horsfield, “The SU Guide to Playing and Writing Adventure Games”, in Sinclair User, number 128:
        Before you sit down in front of your Speccy to play an adventure, equip yourself with a pencil, eraser and plenty of paper. This so that you may draw a 'map' of the adventure as you move around.
    6. (obsolete) That which happens by chance; hazard; hap.
      Synonyms: fortune, hazard, luck; see also Thesaurus:luck
    7. (obsolete) Chance of danger or loss.
      Synonym: hazard
    8. (obsolete) Risk; danger; peril.
      Synonyms: jeopardy; see also Thesaurus:danger
      • 1895, Lord Berners, transl., The Chronicles of Froissart:
        He was in great adventure of his life.
    Derived terms
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    Translations
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    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

    Etymology 2

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      From Middle English aventuren, auntren, from Old French aventurer, from aventure.[1]

      Verb

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      adventure (third-person singular simple present adventures, present participle adventuring, simple past and past participle adventured)

      1. (reflexive, now rare) To risk oneself. [from early 14th c.][1]
        Synonym: venture
        • 1509 December 24 (Gregorian calendar), [Sebastian Brant], translated by Alexander Barclay, [] The Shyp of Folys of the Worlde [], London: [] Rycharde Pynson [], →OCLC, folio CLXXXIX, recto; republished as The Shyp of Folys (The English Experience []; 229), Amsterdam: Theatrum Orbis Terrarum; New York, N.Y.: Da Capo Press, 1970, →ISBN:
          O man cõmyttynge thy lyfe vnto the ſtreme / Alas note well thy deſyrous vanyte / Howe thou the [thee] auentereſt in holowe beame / To pas the ſee in contynuall ieopardye []
        • 1611, The Holy Bible, [] (King James Version), London: [] Robert Barker, [], →OCLC, Acts 19:31, signature [N6], recto, column 2:
          And certaine of the chiefe of Aſia, which were his friends, ſent vnto him, deſiring him that he would not aduenture himſelfe into the Theatre.
        • 1725, John Strype, “The Earl of ’’Worcester’’ Goes into France, to Assist at the Christening of the ’’French’’ King’s Daughter. []”, in Annals of the Reformation and Establishment of Religion, and Other Various Occurrences in the Church of England; [], volume II, London: [] Tho[mas] Edlin, [], →OCLC, page 174:
          And they only deſired a Permiſſion from the Queen. And the Queen had much ado to detain them from adventuring themſelves thither: []
        • 1866, C[harles] Kingsley, “How Hereward Was Wrecked upon the Flanders Shore”, in Hereward the Wake, “Last of the English.” [], volume I, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 174:
          “Are you Christians?” shouted he, before he would adventure himself near the ship.
        • 1903, E[dith] Œ[none] Somerville, Martin Ross [pseudonym; Violet Florence Martin], “The Dane’s Breechin’”, in All on the Irish Shore: Irish Sketches, London; New York, N.Y.; Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co. [], →OCLC, part I, page 225:
          We adventured ourselves into the unknown recesses of the house, and sat gingerly on greasy horsehair-seated chairs, in the parlour, []
        • 1973, Alice Yardley, “[Index] Discovering the Physical World”, in Young Children Thinking, New York, N.Y.: Citation Press, →ISBN, page 142:
          Teachers whose powers of mathematical and scientific thought are undeveloped may feel encouraged by these records to adventure themselves into the child’s wonderful world of discovery.
      2. (intransitive) To risk oneself; to dare to go somewhere or undertake something. [from mid 14th c.][1]
        Synonym: venture
        • c. 1571, Edmund Campion, edited by A[lphonsus] F[ranciscus] Vossen, Two Bokes of the Histories of Ireland [], Assen, Drenthe: Van Gorcum & Comp N.V. [], published 1963, →OCLC, page 28:
          [A]fter the confusion of tongues, when Japhet and his posteretie, emboldened by example of Noe, adventured by shipp into diverse west ilelandes, []
        • c. 1597 (date written), [William Shakespeare], The History of Henrie the Fourth; [], quarto edition, London: [] P[eter] S[hort] for Andrew Wise, [], published 1598, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii], signature B.i., verso:
          Why, we wil ſet forth before or after them, and appoint them a place of meeting, wherein it is at our pleaſure to faile; and then wil they aduenture vpõ the exploit themſelues, which they ſhal haue no ſooner atchieued but weele ſet vpon them.
        • 1689, John Flavell, “Sermon V. Revel[ation] 3. 20. Behold I stand at the door [and knock] &c”, in Englands Duty, under the Present Gospel Liberty. From Revel. III. Vers. 20. [], London: [] Matthew Wotton [], →OCLC, page 171:
          It was plainly told thee what the iſſue of thy rejecting Chriſt would be, and yet after ſufficient warning, thou adventuredſt upon it; []
        • 1704, [Jonathan Swift], “A Full and True Account of the Battel Fought Last Friday, between the Antient and the Modern Books in St. James’s Library”, in A Tale of a Tub. [], London: [] John Nutt, [], published 1705, →OCLC, page 244:
          By this Time the Spider was adventured out when beholding the Chaſms, and Ruins, and Dilapidations of his Fortreſs, he was very near at his Wit’s end, he ſtormed and ſwore like a Mad-man, and ſwelled till he was ready to burſt.
        • 1812, Lord Byron, “Canto II”, in Childe Harold’s Pilgrimage. A Romaunt, London: [] [F]or John Murray, []; William Blackwood, Edinburgh; and John Cumming, Dublin; by Thomas Davison, [], →OCLC, stanza XLII, page 82:
          Now Harold felt himself at length alone, / And bade to Christian tongues a long adieu; / Now he adventur’d on a shore unknown, / Which all admire, but many dread to view: []
        • 1919, Zöe Akins, chapter V, in Cake Upon the Waters, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., →OCLC, page 85:
          He gave Kitty advice about everything; he tramped the hills with the dogs, carrying a shot-gun that he never used; and he adventured upon a recently recommended diet of buttermilk and hickory-nuts.
        • 1957 July, M. D. Greville, “A Diamond Jubilee of Railway Memories”, in Railway Magazine, page 459:
          In 1903, I had adventured, for the first time, northwards, and it really was the North, as my objective was the Great North of Scotland Railway.
        • 1992 July–August, Option, number 45, Los Angeles, Calif.: Sonic Options Network, →ISSN, →OCLC, page 33, column 2:
          The album sees the band adventuring into new territories.
      3. (intransitive with infinitive, now rare) To try the chance; to take the risk. [from late 14th c.][1]
        Synonym: venture
      4. (transitive) To dare to say or utter. [from early 19th c.][1]
        Synonym: venture
        • 1802 June 22, [James Cheetham], “Introduction”, in A View of the Political Conduct of Aaron Burr, Esq., Vice-President of the United States, New York, N.Y.: [] Denniston & Cheetham, [], →OCLC, page 5:
          But were I to adventure an opinion I would affirm that, were the Vice-Preſident now in this city, he would himſelf be mute!
        • 1899, L[ucy] B[ethia] Walford, “One of Ourselves”, in Longman’s Magazine, volume XXXV, number CCIX, London; New York, N.Y.; Bombay: Longmans, Green, and Co. [], published March 1900, →ISSN, →OCLC, chapter XIV (‘My Dears, Have You Ever Heard of Me?’), page 409:
          ‘Did he tell you about us?’ she adventured, cautiously.
        • 1986, [Ernest] Gordon Rupp, “Conversations”, in Religion in England 1688–1791 (Oxford History of the Christian Church), Oxford, Oxfordshire: Clarendon Press, →ISBN, part I (‘Names and Sects and Parties’), chapter 5 (Church of England Men), pages 77–78:
          [William] Wake’s immense correspondence on behalf of Christian unity has been analysed fully, if not definitively, by Norman Sykes, and related to the situations in France, Switzerland, and Germany, but we may adventure a comment upon it without recapitulating an intricate, and like ecumenical narratives generally, often tedious, story.
      5. (transitive, archaic) To venture upon; to run the risk of; to dare. [from late 14th c.]
        Synonym: venture
        • 1528, Thomas More, “A Dialogue Concernynge Heresyes & Matters of Religion []. The .16. Chapiter. The Messẽger Rehearseth Some Causes Which He Hath Herd Laid by Some of yͤ Clergie: [].”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, [], London: [] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, book III, page 245, column 2:
          Now if it ſo be that it woulde happely be thought not a thyng metely to be aduentured to ſet all on a fluſhe at ones, and daſhe raſhelye out holye ſcrypture in euerye lewde felowes teeth: []
        • c. 1860, Isaac Taylor, Heads in Groups:
          Discriminations might be adventured.
        • 1924 December 19, Blanche Colton Williams, “Introduction”, in O. Henry Memorial Award: Prize Stories of 1924, Garden City, N.Y.: Doubleday, Page & Company, published 1925, →OCLC, page xiii:
          The epic is one that could be adventured nowhere else; only this region affords the conditions.
        • a. 1974 (date written), J[ohn] R[onald] R[euel] Tolkien, “Quenta Silmarillion: The History of the Silmarils”, in Christopher Tolkien, editor, The Silmarillion, 1st American edition, Boston, Mass.: Houghton Mifflin Company, published 15 September 1977, →ISBN, page 211:
          In that time of respite and hope, when because of the deeds of the Mormegil the power of Morgoth was stemmed west of Sirion, Morwen fled at last from Dor-lómin with Nienor her daughter, and adventured the long journey to Thingol’s halls.
      6. (transitive) To risk or hazard; jeopard. [from late 14th c.]
        Synonym: venture
        • c. 1513 (date written), Thomas More, “The History of King Richard the Thirde (Vnfinished) []”, in Wyllyam Rastell [i.e., William Rastell], editor, The Workes of Sir Thomas More Knyght, [], London: [] Iohn Cawod, Iohn Waly, and Richarde Tottell, published 30 April 1557, →OCLC, page 51, column 2:
          Foꝛ what wiſe merchaunt aduentureth all his good in one ſhip?
        • 1557, Anthony of Gueuara [i.e., Antonio de Guevara], “Where the Auctoure Speaketh of the Byrthe, and Lynage, of the Wyse Philosopher and Emperoure, Marcus Aurelius. []”, in Thomas North, transl., The Diall of Princes. [], London: [] [Thomas Marsh for] Iohn Waylande, →OCLC, 1st booke, folio 1, verso:
          So it is reaſon, that wher the citizen aduentureth his lyfe, there the citie ſhould doe him ſome honor after his death.
        • a. 1836, the Ettrick Shepherd [pseudonym; James Hogg], chapter XIV, in Tales and Sketches [], volume VI, Glasgow; Edinburgh; London: Blackie & Son, [], published 1837, →OCLC, page 260:
          For the love of one thou adventuredst thy life and the very existence of thy house and name.
        • 1885, Richard F[rancis] Burton, transl. and editor, “Hasan of Bassorah. [Night 803.]”, in A Plain and Literal Translation of the Arabian Nights’ Entertainments, now Entituled The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night [], Shammar edition, volume VIII, [London]: [] Burton Club [], →OCLC, page 83:
          Understand, O my son, that thou adventurest thy life and this is all I can do for thee, and—the peace!
        • 1915 July 21, C[harles] K[endall] Harrington, “To England”, in The Morning Bulletin, volume VI, number 267, Edmonton, Alta., published 7 March 1916, →OCLC, page 2, column 4:
          With lover’s gaze / We watched while thou adventuredst thy soul / Unto the utmost verge of what man may / To follow her fair feet.
        • 1946 October 12, [Leslie] Scott, quotee, “United Africa Co. Ltd. v. Owners of M.V. Tolten. The Tolten.”, in The All England Law Reports Annotated [], volume 2, London: [] Proprietors of the Law Journal, [], →OCLC, page 379:
          The first object was to bring within forseeable and moderate limits the risks to be undertaken by the shipowner when he adventured his ship on a commercial enterprise.
        • 2002, Robert Armstrong, “Ireland at Westminster: the Long Parliament’s Irish Committees, 1641–1647”, in Chris R. Kyle, Jason Peacey, editors, Parliament at Work: Parliamentary Committees, Political Power, and Public Access in Early Modern England, Woodbridge, Suffolk: The Boydell Press, →ISBN, page 83:
          Expanded to embrace all MPs who had adventured money, it had operated in cojunction with a London-based adventurers’ committee in what was intended as, in effect, a private enterprise expedition.
      Conjugation
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      Conjugation of adventure
      infinitive (to) adventure
      present tense past tense
      1st-person singular adventure adventured
      2nd-person singular adventure, adventurest adventured, adventuredst
      3rd-person singular adventures, adventureth adventured
      plural adventure
      subjunctive adventure adventured
      imperative adventure
      participles adventuring adventured

      Archaic or obsolete.

      Derived terms
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      Translations
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      The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

      References

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      1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 adventure, v.”, in OED Online Paid subscription required, Oxford: Oxford University Press, launched 2000.

      Further reading

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      Anagrams

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      Latin

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      Participle

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      adventūre

      1. vocative masculine singular of adventūrus

      Middle French

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      Alternative forms

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      Etymology

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      From Old French avanture, with the addition of a d to reflect Latin adventūrum.

      Noun

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      adventure f (plural adventures)

      1. adventure
      2. fortune