risk
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /ɹɪsk/
homophone: RISC
homophone: risque stripped-by-parse_pron_post_template_fn
rhymes: -ɪsk
Forms: form: risks
form: risking
form: risked
form: risked
form: risque
Etymology: 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”).
speculation on earlier roots
Most dictionaries consider the etymology of these Italian terms uncertain, but some suggest they perhaps come from Vulgar Latin *resecum (“that which cuts, rock, crag”) (> Medieval Latin resicu), from Latin resecō (“cut off, loose, curtail”, verb), in the sense of that which is a danger to boating or shipping; or from Ancient Greek ῥιζικόν (rhizikón, “root, radical, hazard”).
A few dictionaries express more certainty. Collins says the Italian risco comes from Ancient Greek ῥίζα (rhíza, “cliff”) due to the hazards of sailing along rocky coasts. The American Heritage says it probably comes from Byzantine Greek ῥιζικό, ριζικό (rhizikó, rizikó, “sustenance obtained by a soldier through his own initiative, fortune”), from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”), from Classical Syriac ܪܘܙܝܩܐ ,ܪܙܩܐ (rezqā, rōzīqā, “daily ration”), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōčig), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōč, “day”), from Old Persian [script needed] (*raučah-), from Proto-Indo-European *lewk-. Karla Mallette derives the word from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”) via Sabir.
Cognate with Spanish riesgo, Portuguese risco
Senses: examples: text: These people are putting themselves in danger by physically being on or near to the railway lines and risking serious injury.
ref: 2006, Transportation Alternatives website, Rail delays as thieves cut power read at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/4972476.stm on 14 May 2006
synonyms: court
glosses: To incur risk of (an unwanted or negative outcome).
examples: text: England captain David Beckham has warned Wayne Rooney not to risk his long-term future by rushing his return from injury.
ref: 2006, BBC Sport website, Beckham wary over Rooney comeback read at http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/world_cup_2006/teams/england/4769433.stm on 14 May 2006
glosses: To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
examples: text: Because of the wide range of styles on this album, it's hard to pin down the genre. I will risk suggesting folk-rock in an effort to be helpful.
ref: 1979 February 10, Lynn Tibbets, “Women's Music From All Over”, in Gay Community News, volume 6, number 28, page 19:
text: After coming to New York, I decided to risk cycling again.
ref: 1999, BBC News website, Volunteer of the Month: Andrew Hay McConnell read at https://web.archive.org/web/20060221081946/http://www.transalt.org/press/magazine/994Summer/12volunteer.html on 14 May 2006
glosses: To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
Derived terms: risk it for the biscuit
risk it to get the biscuit
risk life and limb
risk off
risk on
risk one's life
risk one's life and limb
risk one's neck
Related terms: roll the dice
take a chance