noun
hazard
HA-zuhd
noun
1
A source of danger or risk of harm.
"Loose wiring is a serious fire hazard."
"The icy pavement was a hazard for pedestrians."
2
An obstacle on a golf course, such as a bunker or water feature.
"His ball landed right in the water hazard on the ninth hole."
verb
1
To risk or venture something, or to make a guess.
"I'll hazard a guess that we're already late."
How to Use Hazard
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA danger, risk, or obstacle — or, as a verb, to take a risk or offer a guess.
Common pairings
health hazard
fire hazard
hazard a guess
occupational hazard
Word Forms
hazarded past tense, hazards plural, Hazards plural, hazards singular
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Etymology
From Old French hasart, a dice game, ultimately from Arabic az-zahr ("the dice") — the sense of "risk" grew out of gambling.