adventure

[ad-ven-cher] /ædˈvɛn tʃər/
noun
1.
an exciting or very unusual experience.
2.
participation in exciting undertakings or enterprises:
the spirit of adventure.
3.
a bold, usually risky undertaking; hazardous action of uncertain outcome.
4.
a commercial or financial speculation of any kind; venture.
5.
Obsolete.
  1. peril; danger; risk.
  2. chance; fortune; luck.
verb (used with object), adventured, adventuring.
6.
to risk or hazard.
7.
to take the chance of; dare.
8.
to venture to say or utter:
to adventure an opinion.
verb (used without object), adventured, adventuring.
9.
to take the risk involved.
10.
to venture; hazard.
Origin
1200-50; Middle English aventure < Anglo-French, Old French < Vulgar Latin *adventūra what must happen, feminine (orig. neuter plural) of Latin adventūrus future participle of advenīre to arrive; ad- ad- replacing a- a-5. See advent, -ure
Related forms
adventureful, adjective
unadventuring, adjective
Examples from the web for adventure
  • Ever since you first entered Scouting you have been thinking of and making plans for all kinds of adventure expeditions.
  • Boys of all ages love a good adventure story.
  • Neither did they imagine the adventure ahead, nor its sudden end.
  • Kelly James' passion for adventure took him around the world.
  • Yes, do-it-yourself chemistry by untrained people is always an adventure.
  • Such adventure holidays come in lots of different shapes and sizes.
  • We left the valley to start our family, and to start our new adventure together.
  • But unless you have a taste for adventure, I would proceed carefully.
  • She didn't mention a longing for adventure.
  • The western adventure was one of the most popular types of dime novel.
British Dictionary definitions for adventure

adventure

/ədˈvɛntʃə/
noun
1.
a risky undertaking of unknown outcome
2.
an exciting or unexpected event or course of events
3.
a hazardous financial operation; commercial speculation
4.
(obsolete)
  1. danger or misadventure
  2. chance
verb
5.
to take a risk or put at risk
6.
(intransitive) foll by into, on, upon. to dare to go or enter (into a place, dangerous activity, etc)
7.
to dare to say (something): he adventured his opinion
Derived Forms
adventureful, adjective
Word Origin
C13: aventure (later altered to adventure after the Latin spelling), via Old French ultimately from Latin advenīre to happen to (someone), arrive
Word Origin and History for adventure
n.

c.1200, auenture "that which happens by chance, fortune, luck," from Old French aventure (11c.) "chance, accident, occurrence, event, happening," from Latin adventura (res) "(a thing) about to happen," from adventurus, future participle of advenire "to come to, reach, arrive at," from ad- "to" (see ad-) + venire "to come" (see venue).

Meaning developed through "risk/danger" (a trial of one's chances), c.1300, and "perilous undertaking" (late 14c.) and thence to "a novel or exciting incident" (1560s). Earlier it also meant "a wonder, a miracle; accounts of marvelous things" (13c.). The -d- was restored 15c.-16c. Venture is a 15c. variant.

v.

c.1300, "to risk the loss of," from adventure (n.). Meaning "to take a chance" is early 14c. Related: Adventured; adventuring.