Hazard Meaning
/ˈhæzəd/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
nounThe chance of suffering harm; danger, peril, risk of loss.
nounAn obstacle or other feature which causes risk or danger; originally in sports, and now applied more generally.
Sentence Examples
This is a hazard to your health.
Do you care to hazard a guess?
A pot belly is an occupational hazard for office workers.
CEFR Practice Quiz
The workers were warned of the fire ____ in the old factory.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is important to wear a helmet while cycling to avoid the ____ of a head injury.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English hasard, from Old French hasart (“a game of dice”) (noun), hasarder (verb), from Arabic اَلزَّهْر (az-zahr, “the dice”). Compare Spanish azar, Portuguese azar.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"Men are led on from one stage of life to another in a condition of the utmost hazard."
— a. 1729, John Rogers, The Difficulties of Obtaining Salvation:
"Why, now, blow wind, swell billow, and swim bark! The storm is up and all is on the hazard."
— 1599, William Shakespeare, The Tragedy of Julius Caesar:
"He then launched forth into a panegyric on Allworthy's goodness; into the highest encomiums on his friendship; and concluded by saying, he should never forgive his brother for having put the place which he bore in that friendship to a hazard."
— 1749, Henry Fielding, The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling:
"If successful, Edison and Ford—in 1914—would move society away from the ever more expensive and then universally known killing hazards of gasoline cars: […]."
— 2006, Edwin Black, chapter 1, in Internal Combustion:
"Quite apart from the gruesome road hazards, snow is awful even when you don't have to travel."
— 2009 December 27, Barbara Ellen, The Guardian:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The workers were warned of the fire ____ in the old factory.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
It is important to wear a helmet while cycling to avoid the ____ of a head injury.