- an unforeseen event or one without an apparent cause
- anything that occurs unintentionally or by chance; chance; fortune: I met him by accident
- a misfortune or mishap, esp one causing injury or death
- a surface irregularity in a natural formation, esp in a rock formation or a river system
WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2019
ac•ci•dent /ˈæksɪdənt/USA pronunciation
n. [countable]
WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2019- an unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally:An accident occurred on the icy road.
- any event that happens unexpectedly: Finding her was a happy accident.
- by accident, unexpectedly:I met her quite by accident.
ac•ci•dent
(ak′si dənt),USA pronunciation n.
- an undesirable or unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally and usually results in harm, injury, damage, or loss;
casualty;
mishap:automobile accidents. - Lawmakingsuch a happening resulting in injury that is in no way the fault of the injured person for which compensation or indemnity is legally sought.
- any event that happens unexpectedly, without a deliberate plan or cause.
- chance;
fortune;
luck:I was there by accident. - a fortuitous circumstance, quality, or characteristic:an accident of birth.
- Philosophyany entity or event contingent upon the existence of something else.
- Geologya surface irregularity, usually on a small scale, the reason for which is not apparent.
- Latin accident- (stem of accidēns happening, present participle of accidere to befall), equivalent. to ac- ac- + -cid-, combining form of cad- fall + -ent- -ent
- Middle English 1350–1400
- 1.See corresponding entry in Unabridged mischance, misfortune, misadventure;
contingency;
disaster.
- 4.See corresponding entry in Unabridged design, intent.
Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
accident /ˈæksɪdənt/ n
'accident' also found in these entries:
-prone
- A & E
- Bader
- Chernobyl
- China syndrome
- a and h
- a and i
- a and s
- accidence
- accident boat
- accident insurance
- accident tout
- accident-prone
- accidental
- accidental death benefit
- account
- across
- ado
- afraid
- agonizing
- air bag
- ambulance chaser
- anyone
- appalling
- attribute
- aventurine
- avert
- back up
- berth
- bingle
- blackout
- blame
- blame culture
- bloody
- case
- casual
- casualty
- casualty insurance
- cause
- cerebrovascular accident
- chance
- changeling
- charge
- circumstantiate
- claim
- clash
- coincidence
- collision insurance
- come across
- common disaster