1. trans. To take the chance
of; to commit to fortune; to undertake a thing of doubtful issue;
to try, to chance, to venture upon.
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c1386
1330 |
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1587 |
1633
a1618 |
1725 |
1834
1815 |
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1330
R. BRUNNE
Chron.
70
Toward 
is
lond ei
drouh, to auenture his chance.
c1386
CHAUCER
Reeve's T.
289,
I wol arise and auntre it by my fay.
1587
FLEMING
Contn. Holinsh.
III. 1319/2
Readie prest to aduenture anie aduentures for your gratious fauour.
a1618
RALEIGH
Instruct. Son
iii. (1651) 11
He adventures thy mislike, and doth hazard thy hatred.
1633
FORD
Love's Sacr.
I.
ii. (1839) 78,
I am loth to move my lord unto offence; Yet I'll adventure chiding.
1725
DE FOE
Voy. round World
(1840) 184
From east to west..it [a voyage] may be adventured with ease.
1815
SCOTT
Ld. of Isles
VI.
xiv,
I would adventure forth my lance.
1834
H. MARTINEAU
Moral
III.
89
Surely no statesman will be found to adventure it.
2. To risk the loss of, to risk,
stake; to imperil, or expose (to danger).
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c1300 |
c1440 |
a1535 |
1665
1654
1648 |
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1860 |
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c1300
K. Alis.
4265
Hors and kyng..Was auntred undur the water.
c1440
Gesta Rom.
(1879) 40
Thou haddist auntred thi owne body.
a1535
MORE
Rich. III
, Wks. 1557, 51/2
For what wise merchaunt aduentureth all his good in one ship.
1648
SIR C. COTTERELL
Davila
(1678) 709
To adventure his Army to new dangers.
1654
GODDARD
in Burton
Diary
(1828) I. 84
We had adventured our lives and liberties for the cause.
1665
EVELYN
Diary
(1827) II. 250
My Wife went back to Wotton, I not as yet willing to adventure her.
1860
MOTLEY
Netherl.
(1868) I. vi. 300
Elizabeth was taking the diadem from her head..and adventuring it
upon the doubtful chance of war.
3. refl. To risk oneself;
to venture.
|
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1393
c1350 |
1475
c1440 |
1509 |
1697
1611 |
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1803 |
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c1350
Will. Palerne
3268
Of o
wi-inne
· non wold hem out aunter.
1393
LANGLAND
P. Pl.
C.
XXI.
232
And after auntrede god hym-self · and tok adams kynde.
c1440
Morte Arthure
360,
I salle auntyre me anes hys egle to touche.
1475
CAXTON
Jason
65b,
To auenture myself in the conqueste of the noble moton or flees of
golde.
1509
BARCLAY
Ship of Fooles
(1570) 178
Howe thou thee aventrest in holowe beame.
1611
BIBLE
Acts.
xix. 31
Desiring him that he would not aduenture himselfe into the Theatre.
1697
POTTER
Antiq. Greece
III.
iv. (1715) 22
Thinking it unsafe to adventure themselves abroad.
1803
WELLINGTON
in
Gen. Desp.
I. 568
You must..take care not to adventure yourself single handed against
the combined forces of those chiefs.
4. intr. (by omission of
refl. pron.) To risk oneself, to venture, to dare to come or go (in,
into, on, upon any place). fig. To venture
(on, upon a course or action), to dare to undertake.
to adventure at
(obs. rare): to dare to attack.
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|
c1340 |
c1400 |
1596
1581
a1581
1575-6 |
1642
a1628 |
1797-8
1704 |
1878
1812 |
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c1340
Alisaunder
(Skeat) 902
e
armed Atenieeins auntred hym till.
c1400
Destr. Troy
XII.
4985
en
auntred Vlexes and his erund said.
1575-6
THYNNE
Let.
in
Animadv.
54
I rashely aduentured beyoynde the course of my desertes.
a1581
E. CAMPION
Hist. Irel.
(1633) vii. 22
When Japheth..adventured by ship into divers West Islands.
1581
LAMBARDE
Eiren.
II.
iii. 117
Staying them that doe any way aduenture towardes the breach thereof.
1596
SHAKES.
1 Hen. IV
,
I.
ii. 192
Then will they aduenture vppon the exploit.
a1628
F. GREVILLE
Life of Sidney
(1652) 33
This Narration I adventure of, to show the clearness and readiness
of this Gentlemans judgment.
1642
MILTON
Apol. Smect.
(1851) 293
To strike high, and adventure dangerously at the most eminent vices
among the greatest persons.
1704
SWIFT
Batt. Bks.
(1711) 235
By this time the Spider was adventur'd out.
1797-8
WELLESLEY
Desp.
779
Every man who pleases may adventure thither.
1812
BYRON
Ch. Har.
II.
xliii,
Now he adventured on a shore unknown.
1878
E. WHITE
Life in Christ
III.
xvii. 215
The awe under which it becomes sinful men to adventure into that Holiest
Place.
5. a. intr. (with inf.)
To dare, to run the risk, make the experiment; to go so far as, to
venture.
|
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1387 |
1490
c1400 |
1594 |
1678
1616 |
1719 |
1818 |
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1387
TREVISA
Higden
Rolls Ser. I. 29
e
secunde book auntre
forto telle berynge and dedes.
c1400
Destr. Troy
I.
314
The Emperour Alexaunder Aunterid to come.
1490
CAXTON
Eneydos
xlii. 134
Noo body durste not auenture for to goo to hym.
1594
SHAKES.
Rich. III
,
I.
iii. 116,
I dare aduenture to be sent to th' Towre.
1616
SIR R. DUDLEY
in
Fortesc. Pap.
15
My very enemies have never adventured to esteem me ungratefull.
1678
QUARLES
Arg. & Parth.
11
[He] boldly enters, and after mutual complement adventers
To break the Ice of his dissembled grief.
1719
WODROW
Corr.
(1843) II. 431,
I adventured to show him the volume I brought up.
1818
SCOTT
Hrt. Midl.
288
She feared she could not safely adventure to do so.
b. trans. To venture to
say or utter.
1881
MRS. J. H. RIDDELL
Sen. Partner
II. i. 7
‘I've been looking up my songs, Mr. McCullagh,’ added the
eldest daughter..‘And we have been practising reels,’ adventured
Miss Vanderton.
1898
Daily News
19 Oct. 3/1
He adventured the opinion that ‘some members opposite’ were
‘unaccustomed to the amenities of debate’.
1900
L. B. WALFORD
One of Ourselves
xiv,
‘Did he tell you about us?’ she adventured, cautiously.
d
nd
p
p
v
ntj
