📒 the possibility of something bad happening at some time in the future; a situation that could be dangerous or have a bad result
- The health risks are very low.
- risk of something a high risk of failure
- a serious/significant risk of something
📒 a person or thing that is likely to cause problems or danger at some time in the future
- Those old boxes in the corridor are a fire risk.
- a safety/health risk
- risk to something/somebody The group was considered to be a risk to national security.
📒 a person or business that a bank or an insurance company is willing/unwilling to lend money or sell insurance to because they are likely/unlikely to pay back the money, etc.
- With five previous claims, he's now a bad insurance risk.
- He's a good insurance risk.
📒 in danger of something unpleasant or harmful happening
- As with all diseases, certain groups will be more at risk than others.
- If we go to war, innocent lives will be put at risk.
- at risk of (doing) something Journalists in the zone are at serious risk of being kidnapped.
📒 used to introduce something that may sound stupid or may offend somebody
- At the risk of showing my ignorance, how exactly does the internet work?
📒 with the possibility of harming yourself/somebody/something
- He dived in to save the dog at considerable risk to his own life.
- He saved the child at considerable risk to himself.
📒 to do something even though you have been warned about the possible dangers and will have to take responsibility for anything bad that happens
- Persons swimming beyond this point do so at their own risk (= on a notice).
- Valuables are left at their owner's risk (= on a notice).
- The building is unsafe—enter at your own risk.
📒 to be or put yourself in a situation in which something bad could happen to you
- People who are overweight run a risk of a heart attack or stroke.
- We don't want to run the risk of losing their business.
- Investment is all about running risks.
📒 to do something even though you know that something bad could happen as a result
- That's a risk I'm not prepared to take.
- You have no right to take risks with other people's lives.
- It was so close, he decided to take a calculated risk.