gamble

See also: Gamble

English

Etymology

From earlier gamel, from Middle English *gamlen, *gamelen, variant of Middle English gamenen, from Old English gæmnian, gamnian, gamenian (“to joke; play”), related to Old English gamen (“joy; mirth; pleasure; entertainment; pastime; sport; game”), equivalent to game +‎ -le. Compare Old Danish gammel, Middle High German gamel (“pleasure; fun”). More at game.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈɡæm.bəl/
• Rhymes: -æmbəl
• Homophone: gambol

Noun

gamble (plural gambles)

1. A bet or wager.

   I had a gamble on the horses last weekend.

2. A significant risk, undertaken with a potential gain.
3. A risky venture.

   The sailors had taken many gambles with the sea and always won.

Translations

a risk undertaken with a potential gain

• Arabic: قِمَار m (qimār)

  Hijazi Arabic: قُمار m (gumār)

• Bulgarian: риск (bg) m (risk)
• Dutch: gok (nl) m
• Estonian: õnnemäng
• Finnish: uhkapeli (fi)
• French: pari (fr) m, jeu de hasard (fr) m
• Georgian: აზარტული თამაში (azarṭuli tamaši), ავანტიურა (avanṭiura)
• German: Glücksspiel (de) n, Hazardspiel n
• Greek: στοίχημα (el) n (stoíchima)
• Hungarian: szerencsejáték (hu), hazárdjáték (hu)
• Ido: ludrisko
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Italian: scommessa (it) f
• Japanese: 賭け (かけ, kake), ギャンブル (ja) (gyanburu)
• Macedonian: коцка f (kocka), комар m (komar)
• Malay: taruhan
• Persian: قمار (fa) (qomâr)
• Polish: hazard (pl) m
• Portuguese: aposta (pt) f
• Russian: аза́ртная игра́ (ru) f (azártnaja igrá), авантю́ра (ru) f (avantjúra)
• Spanish: apuesta (es)
• Turkish: kumar (tr)

a risky venture

• Bulgarian: авантюра (bg) f (avantjura)
• Dutch: gok (nl) m, waagstuk (nl) n
• Finnish: uhkapeli (fi)
• Georgian: ავანტიურა (avanṭiura), რისკიანი საქმე (risḳiani sakme)
• German: Glücksspiel (de) n
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Hungarian: szerencsejáték (hu), hazárdjáték (hu), lutri (hu)
• Japanese: 賭け (かけ, kake), ギャンブル (ja) (gyanburu)
• Portuguese: aposta (pt) f
• Russian: авантю́ра (ru) f (avantjúra)

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

Translations to be checked

• Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} joco
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

Verb

1. To take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome.
2. To play risky games, especially casino games, for monetary gain.
3. (transitive) To risk (something) for potential gain.

   He gambled his reputation on the outcome.

4. To interact with equipment at a casino

Translations

to take a risk, with the potential of a positive outcome

• Arabic: قَامَرَ (qāmara)
• Bulgarian: рискувам (bg) (riskuvam)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 賭博／赌博 (zh) (dǔbó), 赌博 (zh) (dǔbó), 賭錢／赌钱 (zh) (dǔqián), 赌钱 (zh) (dǔqián)

• Czech: riskovat (cs)
• Dutch: gokken (nl)
• French: parier (fr), hasarder (fr)
• Georgian: გარისკვა (garisḳva)
• German: riskant (de) spielen (de), spekulieren (de), (slang) zocken (de), hasardieren (de)
• Greek: στοιχηματίζω (el) (stoichimatízo)
• Hebrew: הימר (he) (himér)
• Ido: ludriskar
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Indonesian: bertaruh (id), mempertaruhkan (id)
• Italian: scommettere (it)
• Japanese: 賭ける (ja) (かける, kakeru)
• Macedonian: се коцка (se kocka)
• Polish: ryzykować (pl)
• Portuguese: arriscar (pt)
• Russian: рискова́ть (ru) (riskovátʹ)
• Serbo-Croatian: kȍckati se (sh)
• Thai: พนัน (th) (pá-nan)
• Turkish: please add this translation if you can
• Walloon: fé ene wadjeure (wa)

to play risky games for monetary gain

• Albanian: please add this translation if you can
• Arabic: قَامَرَ (qāmara)
• Armenian: please add this translation if you can
• Basque: please add this translation if you can
• Bulgarian: играя комар (igraja komar)
• Burmese: please add this translation if you can
• Chinese:

  Cantonese: 賭錢／赌钱 (dou² cin^4-2), 赌钱 (dou² cin^4-2)

  Mandarin: 賭博／赌博 (zh) (dǔbó), 赌博 (zh) (dǔbó), 賭錢／赌钱 (zh) (dǔqián), 赌钱 (zh) (dǔqián)

• Dutch: gokken (nl), kansspelen bedrijven
• Esperanto: please add this translation if you can
• Finnish: uhkapelata
• Georgian: აზარტული თამაშების თამაში (azarṭuli tamašebis tamaši)
• German: wetten (de), spielen (de), (slang) zocken (de)
• Hebrew: הימר (he) (himér)
• Hindi: please add this translation if you can
• Hungarian: szerencsejátékot játszik, hazardíroz (hu)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Ido: ludriskar
• Indonesian: berjudi (id)
• Italian: scommettere (it)
• Japanese: 賭ける (ja) (かける, kakeru)
• Khmer: please add this translation if you can
• Korean: please add this translation if you can
• Macedonian: се коцка (se kocka)
• Malay: judi
• Maori: purei moni, petipeti
• Persian: please add this translation if you can
• Portuguese: apostar (pt)
• Russian: игра́ть в аза́ртные и́гры (igrátʹ v azártnyje ígry)
• Serbo-Croatian: kȍckati se (sh)
• Spanish: apostar (es), jugar (es)
• Thai: พนัน (th) (pá-nan)
• Walloon: trimler (wa)

(transitive) to risk something for potential gain

• Dutch: op het spel zetten, vergokken (nl), wagen (nl)
• Finnish: vaarantaa (fi)
• German: aufs Spiel (de) n setzen (de), hasardieren (de), wagen (de)
• Hungarian: kockáztat (hu), kockára tesz
• Interlingua: poner in risco
• Italian: rischiare (it)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Japanese: 懸ける (かける, kakeru)
• Portuguese: arriscar (pt)
• Spanish: apostar (es)
• Thai: พนัน (th) (pá-nan)
• Walloon: risker (wa)

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

Translations to be checked

• Interlingua: ^{(please verify)} jocar
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}

See also

• game of chance

Anagrams

• Gambel