accident

ac·ci·dent

noun \ˈak-sə-dənt, -ˌdent; ˈaks-dənt\

Definition of ACCIDENT

1

a : an unforeseen and unplanned event or circumstance b : lack of intention or necessity : chance <met by accident rather than by design>

2

a : an unfortunate event resulting especially from carelessness or ignorance b : an unexpected and medically important bodily event especially when injurious <a cerebrovascular accident> c : an unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault or misconduct on the part of the person injured but for which legal relief may be sought d —used euphemistically to refer to an involuntary act or instance of urination or defecation

3

: a nonessential property or quality of an entity or circumstance <the accident of nationality>

Examples of ACCIDENT

1. He was injured in an accident at work.
2. The accident happened when her car slid on a patch of ice.
3. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the accident.
4. Their meeting was an accident.
5. It is just an accident that they arrived when they did.
6. She says that her pregnancy was an accident.

Origin of ACCIDENT

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin accident-, accidens nonessential quality, chance, from present participle of accidere to happen, from ad- + cadere to fall — more at chance

First Known Use: 14th century

Related to ACCIDENT

Synonyms: casualty, mischance, mishap

Related Words: calamity, cataclysm, catastrophe, cropper, deathblow, disaster, tragedy; bummer, knock, misadventure, misfortune; collision, crack-up, crash, smashup, wreck

Near Antonyms: boon, break, fluke, godsend, miracle, strike, windfall; fortune, luck, serendipity

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Rhymes with ACCIDENT

aliment, Blaenau Gwent, circumvent, compartment, complement, compliment, confident, devilment, diffident, discontent, document, evident, heaven-sent, implement, incident, instrument, Jack-a-Lent, malcontent, nonevent, Occident, ornament, orient, provident, regiment, reinvent, represent, re-present, resident, Saint-Laurent, sediment, self-content, subsequent, supplement