adventure

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), ad·ven·tured, ad·ven·tur·ing.

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), ad·ven·tured, ad·ven·tur·ing.

9. to take the risk involved.
10. to venture; hazard.

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. (intr 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

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.