Definition of: hazard

(haz′ərd) noun
1. Exposure to the chance of loss or injury; risk; peril.
2. A chance or fortuitous event or consequence, as the result of dice; a chance.
3. That which is hazarded, risked, or staked; the stake in gambling.
4. A gambling game played with a dice box and two dice by any number of players.
5. An obstacle on a golf course, such as a bunker, water (except casual water), sand trap, path, etc.
6. In English billiards, the pocketing of a ball, or the stroke that puts a ball into a pocket. When the object ball is forced into a pocket the stroke is called a winning hazard; when the striker's ball falls into a pocket after contact with the object ball it is a losing hazard.
7. In court tennis, a stroke in which the server drives the ball, either direct from the racket or on the first bound, into the grille or the winning gallery.
—moral hazard The element of personal character of a property-owner as it affects the willingness of an insurance company to insure his property.
—v.t.
1. To put to hazard; imperil.
2. To venture; to take the risk involved in; risk. [<OF hasard <Arabic alzahr the die] Synonyms (noun): accident, casualty, chance, contingency, danger, fortuity, jeopardy, peril, risk, venture. Hazard is the incurring of the possibility of loss or harm for the possibility of gain; danger may have no compensating alternative. In hazard the possibilities of gain or loss are nearly balanced; in risk the possibility of loss is the chief thought; in chance and venture the hope of good predominates; we speak of a merchant's venture, but of an insurance company's risk; one may be driven by circumstances to run a risk; he freely seeks a venture; we speak of the chance of winning, the hazard or risk of losing. A contingency is simply an indeterminable future event, which may or may not be attended with danger or risk. See ACCIDENT, DANGER. Antonyms: assurance, certainty, necessity, plan, protection, safeguard, safety, security, surety.