different between risk vs threaten

English

Alternative forms

• risque (archaic)

Etymology

From earlier risque, from Middle French risque, from Italian risco (“risk”) (modern Italian rischio) and rischiare (“to run into danger”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /??sk/
• Homophones: RISC, risque (rare dialect)
• Rhymes: -?sk

Noun

risk (countable and uncountable, plural risks)

1. (countable) A possible adverse event or outcome

   Synonyms: danger, peril, hazard

   • 2006, BBC News website, Farmers warned over skin cancer read at [1] on 14 May 2006

     There was also a "degree of complacency" that the weather in the country was not good enough to present a health risk.

2. The probability of a negative outcome to a decision or event.
   • 2006, Trever Ramsey on BBC News website, Exercise 'cuts skin cancer risk' read at [3] on 14 May 2006

   • Taking regular exercise, coupled with a healthy diet, reduced the risk of several types of cancer.
3. The magnitude of possible loss consequent to a decision or event.
4. (formal use in business, engineering, etc.) The potential (conventionally negative) effect of an event, determined by combining the likelihood of the event occurring with the effect should it occur.
   • 2002, Decisioneering Inc website, What is risk? read at [6] on 14 May 2006

     If there is a 25% chance of running over schedule, costing you a $100 out of your own pocket, that might be a risk you are willing to take. But if you have a 5% chance of running overschedule, knowing that there is a $10,000 penalty, you might be less willing to take that risk.

5. (countable, insurance) An entity insured by an insurer or the specific uncertain events that the insurer underwrites.

Hyponyms

• (formal business and engineering): variance, standard deviation, downside beta

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

risk (third-person singular simple present risks, present participle risking, simple past and past participle risked)

1. (transitive) To incur risk of (something).
   • 2006, Transportation Alternatives website, Rail delays as thieves cut power read at [7] on 14 May 2006

     These people are putting themselves in danger by physically being on or near to the railway lines and risking serious injury.

2. (transitive) To incur risk of harming or jeopardizing.
   • 2006, BBC Sport website, Beckham wary over Rooney comeback read at [8] on 14 May 2006

     England captain David Beckham has warned Wayne Rooney not to risk his long-term future by rushing his return from injury.

3. (transitive) To incur risk as a result of (doing something).
   • 1999, BBC News website, Volunteer of the Month: Andrew Hay McConnell read at [9] on 14 May 2006

     After coming to New York, I decided to risk cycling again.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Translations

See also

• roll the dice, take a chance

References

• risk at OneLook Dictionary Search
• risk in Keywords for Today: A 21st Century Vocabulary, edited by The Keywords Project, Colin MacCabe, Holly Yanacek, 2018.
• risk in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.
• risk on Wikipedia.Wikipedia

Anagrams

• Kris, irks, kirs, kris, riks

Czech

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [?r?sk]
• Rhymes: -?sk

Noun

risk m

1. (informal) risk

Further reading

• risk in P?íru?ní slovník jazyka ?eského, 1935–1957
• risk in Slovník spisovného jazyka ?eského, 1960–1971, 1989
• risk in Akademický slovník cizích slov, 1995, at prirucka.ujc.cas.cz

Swedish

Pronunciation

• Rhymes: -?sk

Noun

risk c

1. risk

Declension

Anagrams

• kris, riks-, skri

Westrobothnian

Etymology

Old Norse hressa (“be facetious”), Helsingian ressa (“be unruly, very cheerful and lively”), Norwegian rissa (“be noisy, crazy”).

Verb

risk (preterite riskä)

1. (intransitive) To wrestle, play, joke, amuse oneself.

English

Etymology

From Middle English þreaten or þreten, from Old English þr?atian.

Pronunciation

• enPR: thr?t?n?, IPA^(key): /????t.n?/
• Hyphenation: threat?en

Verb

threaten (third-person singular simple present threatens, present participle threatening, simple past and past participle threatened)

1. To make a threat against someone; to use threats.

   He threatened me with a knife.

2. To menace, or be dangerous.

   The rocks threatened the ship's survival.

3. To portend, or give a warning of.

   The black clouds threatened heavy rain.

4. (figuratively) To be close to equaling or surpassing (a record, etc.)
   • 2000, Lew Freedman, Diamonds in the Rough: Baseball Stories from Alaska, ?ISBN, page 69

     The player quickly surmised that things weren't kosher and the suddenly wiser ballplayer threatened the world record for the fifty-yard dash as he sought safety. As Reynolds dived into the van, Dietz and the other players rolled with laughter.

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the to infinitive. See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Translations