jeopardy
nounverbattested in dialogue
- United Kingdom//ˈd͡ʒɛpədi//
- United States//ˈd͡ʒɛpɚdi//
- Australia//ˈd͡ʒepədi//
Danger of failure, harm, or loss.
noun
- 1
Danger of failure, harm, or loss.
The poor condition of the vehicle put its occupants in constant jeopardy.
Thus chaunce hath (by exchaunge) the flie ſo trapt, / That ſodainly he loſt his libertee: / The more he wrange, the faſter was he wrapt [in the spider's web] / And all to thencreaſe of his ieoberdee, […]
It seemed to me I could do something in that vein with my characters: the ticking clock, dire jeopardy, quick changes of fortune, small acts having huge consequences.
When Obinna was red carded shortly after for a ridiculous kick on Larsson it seemed as though West Ham's hopes of reaching Wembley, and in turn Grant's of keeping his job, lay in serious jeopardy.
Etymology
From Middle English jupartie, jeupartie (“even chance”), from Anglo-Norman giu parti and Middle French jeu parti (“a divided game, i.e. an even game, an even chance”), from Medieval Latin iocus partītus (“an even chance, an alternative”), from Latin iocus (“jest, play, game”) + partītus, perfect passive participle of partiō (“divide”); see joke and party.
verb
- 1
archaicTo jeopardize; to endanger.
Forms
- plural
- jeopardies
- past tense
- jeopardied
- past participle
- jeopardied
- present participle
- jeopardying
- third person singular
- jeopardies