gamble1 verbgamble2 noun
gamblegam‧ble1 /ˈɡæmbəl/ ●●○ verb [intransitive, transitive] 
WORD ORIGINgamble1
Origin:
1700-1800 gameVERB TABLE
gamble
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | gamble |
| he, she, it | gambles | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | gambled |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have gambled |
| he, she, it | has gambled | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had gambled |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will gamble |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have gambled |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am gambling |
| he, she, it | is gambling | |
| you, we, they | are gambling | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was gambling |
| you, we, they | were gambling | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been gambling |
| he, she, it | has been gambling | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been gambling |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be gambling |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been gambling |
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- At the trial, defense attorney Neal gambled by calling no defense witnesses.
- We won $700 gambling in Las Vegas.
- Being of very modest means, but having some contacts upon the turf, he attempted to increase his wages by gambling.
- By appealing directly to his fellow-citizens and banking on a generous response, the President may just have gambled correctly.
- By converting pounds to other currencies investors are gambling that the pound will fall.
- I let them gamble for the criminals' belongings.
THESAURUS
to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Eddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.· A growing number of people are gambling online.
to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or game: · He liked to smoke, drink, and bet on horses.· Jerry bet $1000 on the game.· We had a bet on the Irish team to win.
to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competition: · I put $100 on the Cowboys to win.
British English informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race – used especially when someone does not gamble very often: · I’m not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.· I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing: · ‘Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?’ he said as he approached the pool table.· You’re allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.
to gamble money on a particular horse, team etc that you think will win a race or competition: · When I back a horse, it always seems to finish second.
Longman Language Activatorto gamble to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Eddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.gamble away something/gamble something away (=waste a lot of money by gambling): · Roger gambled away all his money in a Las Vegas casino.· She inherited $50,000 but gambled it away.
when you try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Is gambling legal here?· Your Uncle Maury has a gambling problem.· Crane admits that he is addicted to gambling.· He was against the introduction of a National Lottery as he thought it might encourage gambling.
to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or game: · I don't bet very often.bet on something/have a bet on something (=gamble money on the result of a race or game): · We usually have a bet on the Grand Prix.· Rogers was not much of a gambler. When he bet on the horses, he almost always lost.bet £10/$100 etc on something: · Jerry bet $1000 on the game.place a bet (=say which horse, team, competition etc you want to gamble on and pay the money that you want to gamble): · I've placed a bet on a horse in the next race.· All bets must be placed before the start of the race.
to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competition: · I put $20 on the Cowboys to win.· He put £50 on Middlesborough to beat Manchester United at odds of 3-1.put a bet on something (=gamble on a horse, game etc): · I think I'll put a bet on the next race.
to gamble money on a particular horse, team, or person that you think will win a particular competition: · We backed a horse named Travelling Light that finished first at 10-1.back something/somebody to win something: · Uncle Barry backed Arsenal to win the FA Cup.
to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing, for example cards: · "Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?" he said as he approached the pool table.· You're allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.
British informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race - use this especially about someone who does not gamble very often: · I'm not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.have a flutter on: · I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
to lose money by not guessing correctly the result of a game, race, or competition: · He claims that he lost the money on a dice game.· I lost a lot of money on the dogs last night.
to win money by correctly guessing the result of a game, race, or competition: · I heard that he won a lot of money on the Superbowl a few years ago.
someone who gambles someone who gambles, especially someone who gambles a lot and cannot stop: · Jack was a great drinker and gambler.· De Niro plays Sam "Ace" Rothstein, a professional gambler.compulsive gambler (=someone who cannot stop gambling): heavy gambler (=someone who gambles a lot): · It was rumoured that he was a heavy gambler and lost large sums in Monte Carlo.
WORD SETSback, verbbank, nounbanker, nounbet, verbbet, nounbid, verbbingo, nounbookie, nounbookmaker, nouncasino, nounchip, nouncroupier, noundividend, noundraw, nouneach way, adverbfruit machine, noungamble, verbgaming, nounlottery, nounodds, nounofftrack, adjectiveone-armed bandit, nounparimutuel, nounplace, verbraffle, nounraffle, verbroulette, nounslot machine, nounstakeholder, nounsweepstake, nountombola, nountout, verbwager, nounwager, verb
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY
Stevens was a compulsive gambler.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common. Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB
Stevens was a compulsive gambler. Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common.· The fines for illegal parking are likely to increase.
Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.· The memory of empty bellies because their father had gambled away all the National Assistance was still fresh in their minds.· He gambles away the money but is back on her doorstep the next morning.· But he drank and gambled away the lot, and it closed.· But her father gambled away the tuition for private college, and she was forced to return to the University of Kansas.· All it's done is to give him more money to gamble away up in London.· G: A difference of opinion, Geoffrey, press your buttons and gamble away.· They drank less and saved instead of gambling away their earnings.
· Quinn had gambled on there being something inside the case to lead police and troops to whatever rendezvous he established with Zack.· Now her family are gambling on yet another operation, this time with her father, David as the donor.
NOUN· Well-known casino and gambling interests have contributed regularly to the campaigns of the three senators.· Legislation to legalize casino gambling could be introduced in Congress next fall.
· He was also, by reputation, an alcoholic who needed the money to pay his gambling debts.· All it's done is to give him more money to gamble away up in London.
· McAllister said two Las Vegas casinos have recently inquired about obtaining online gambling licenses in Antigua.· They also express concern about the addiction and underage gambling they believe will be the inevitable partners of online gambling.
VERB· Time and again you've promised not to drink, not to gamble, and still you waste yourself.· Claudio is the unfaithful, deceitful { friend } who leads Leonardo astray into drinking, gambling and having romantic affairs.· They drank a lot, they gambled, supposedly they practised the Black Mass.· He stopped drinking, smoking, gambling, and womanizing.· But he drank and gambled away the lot, and it closed.· He stopped smoking, drinking, and gambling, and rediscovered the joy of swimming.
· Last fall a congressional tourism commission started debate on legalizing gambling.· Legislation to legalize casino gambling could be introduced in Congress next fall.· The appointments come as interest in legalized gambling appears to be growing in the legislature.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
1to risk money or possessions on the result of something such as a card game or a race, when you do not know for certain what the result will be: - Investing in high-tech companies is a calculated risk.
- But it is a calculated risk.
- He just took a calculated risk on the spur of the moment.
- Injured Stephen Pears, who took a calculated gamble with a cheekbone injury, was never tested in goal.
- It was a calculated risk to take a man without forensic experience, but we were looking for a manager primarily.
- It was a calculated risk, like all voyages into the unknown.
- These high-handed tactics were obviously risky, but they were a calculated risk.
- The movie moguls were taking it up.
- Under normal circumstances Chaplin may well have simply thrown the eminent movie mogul a mere passing glance of recognition.
Their religion forbids them to drink or gamble.gamble on Jack loves gambling on the horses.2to do something that involves a lot of risk, and that will not succeed unless things happen the way you would like them togamble on They’re gambling on Johnson being fit for Saturday’s game.gamble something on something Potter gambled everything on his new play being a hit.gamble that She was gambling that he wouldn’t read it too carefully.gamble with We can’t relax our safety standards – we’d be gambling with people’s lives.—gambler noun [countable]: Stevens was a compulsive gambler.THESAURUSgamble to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a race: · Eddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.· A growing number of people are gambling online.bet/have a bet to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or game: · He liked to smoke, drink, and bet on horses.· Jerry bet $1000 on the game.· We had a bet on the Irish team to win.put £10/$20 etc on something to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competition: · I put $100 on the Cowboys to win.have a flutter British English informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race – used especially when someone does not gamble very often: · I’m not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.· I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.play for money to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing: · ‘Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?’ he said as he approached the pool table.· You’re allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.back to gamble money on a particular horse, team etc that you think will win a race or competition: · When I back a horse, it always seems to finish second.gamble something ↔ away phrasal verb to lose the whole of an amount of money by gambling: Nielsen gambled his inheritance away.gamble1 verbgamble2 noun
gamblegamble2 noun [singular] EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- The city's decision to not ration water during the summer was a gamble that paid off.
- And the gamble seems to have paid off.
- As it happened, the gamble paid off handsomely.
- At the moment, that gamble seems to be paying off.
- It is always a little bit of a gamble..
- On Tuesday night, the gamble paid off.
- Smith's mini gamble paid off for two ends later he stole a single to tie the score at 1-1.
- The Union gamble had paid off.
Longman Language Activatorto risk losing something
to risk losing something, especially in order to gain something else: · Companies cannot risk losing customers through computer problems.· The university has already cut its budget as much as possible without risking its quality and reputation.risk something on something: · You'd have to be crazy to risk your money on an investment like that.
to do something even though there is a risk of failure or loss, because you will gain a lot if it is successful: · They seem to be gambling the whole future of the compamy in return for a quick short-term profit.· If we gamble and succeed, no one will mind. But if we gamble and fail, we'll probably lose our jobs.· In 1972, NBC took a gamble and created a show featuring Redd Foxx, a black comic whose stage routines were somewhat off-color.gamble/take a gamble that: · During the drought, water companies used water from the emergency reservoirs, gambling that normal rainfall would soon fill them up again.gamble/take a gamble on: · The team took a gamble on Whitney, who is fast and an accurate player, but only five-foot-nine.
if you put your job, career, reputation etc on the line, you risk losing your job, reputation etc if something is not successful or if you make the wrong decision: · Whatever type of company you have, you put your reputation on the line when you handle complaint calls.· Many workers feel they may be putting their jobs on the line if they protest about safety abuses.
to risk losing something important if the result of a plan or action is not successful: · Lincoln staked his political career on opposition to slavery.· She had staked her academic reputation on the accuracy of her research.
to buy a large amount of shares, land, or foreign money because you hope to make a big profit when you sell it, even though you risk losing your money: · Her father made his money speculating on the New York Stock Exchange.speculate in shares/land etc: · Terry speculated heavily in mining shares and lost a lot of money.
involving risk involving a risk: · It's always risky leaving your car out on the street overnight.· Being self-employed is much more risky than being a wage earner.· Risky investments can offer high yields, but also the possibility of greater losses.risky to do something: · The experiments would be too risky to perform on humans.
risks that are not necessary and that could cause harm or serious problems: · Using humor in a job interview is a dangerous thing - you never know how the interviewer will react.· Women felt that complaining about sexual harrassment was dangerous, as there was always the threat of losing their jobs.it is dangerous to do something: · It is dangerous to assume that share prices will continue to rise.
an action that is foolhardy involves so much risk that someone seems stupid for trying it: · It was foolhardy to take the plane up alone, with so little flying experience.· The country was in such huge debt that any spending proposals looked foolhardy.· I drove to the hospital at a foolhardy speed, arriving just after my wife.
something that is high-risk involves a lot of risk, but if you choose to do it and it is successful, you will have very good results: · It was a high-risk strategy to attack with such a small number of planes, but it was brilliantly successful.· a high-risk investment
something risky that you do because you hope that it will succeed and that you will gain something from it: · A gamble by the quarterback on the final play allowed them to score.· Changing jobs is always a gamble, but the opportunity looks good.a gamble pays off (=it is successful): · Despite the serious doubts of his advisors, the President's gamble paid off.
informal involving a serious risk that things will go wrong: · It's too dicey to base this policy on what might happen in the coming year.· Taking the mountain road is always a bit dicey at this time of year.
involving a serious possibility of failure or loss: · No one would lend money to a company in such a precarious position.· The typical peasant farmer has a precarious existence, at the mercy of flood, disease and famine.· His political position has become extremely precarious.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYverbs Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common. Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE
· The publishers took a gamble on an unknown author, and the books have sold well.
(=succeeds)· She gave up a career in law to become an actor, but the gamble has paid off.
adjectives· It's a big gamble for any presenter to leave such a successful show.
· Giving him the job seemed like a huge gamble at the time.
(=one in which you consider the risks very carefully)· He made a calculated gamble that an early election would return his party to power.
· The parents took a desperate gamble by throwing their baby out of the burning building.
· His determination to go ahead with the plan, despite the unrest, was a huge political gamble.
phrases (=involve a small amount of risk)· It was a bit of a gamble putting him on the field, but he played well.
(=involve an amount of risk)· A few years ago, launching a weekly magazine for men would have been something of a gamble.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Compulsive overspending in these days of credit cards has become more common.· The fines for illegal parking are likely to increase.
Police believe he is involved in an international smuggling racket.· There was a big gamble on him.
VERB· Your indignation - the less charitable would call it calculated gamble - has paid off.
· I blamed Hilda for it, I felt she had taken away the gamble, the risk that made it worth while.· One of the few mainstream publishers to take the gamble recently was Rodale Press, with Heart & Soul.· Yeltsin, as he is inclined to do when backed into a corner, has taken a high-risk gamble.· Despite the risk, Yamamoto could see no reason for hesitating to take the gamble.· Central government was not prepared to take that gamble, but was happy to see the localities take it.· President Bush took a considerable gamble with this invasion, and it has not yet paid off.· Kirsty's happiness was far too important to take a gamble with.· Store bosses are taking a gamble in hoping that enough folk will go shopping to make up for huge discounts on offer.
PHRASES FROM OTHER ENTRIES
an action or plan that involves a risk but that you hope will succeed: - Investing in high-tech companies is a calculated risk.
- But it is a calculated risk.
- He just took a calculated risk on the spur of the moment.
- Injured Stephen Pears, who took a calculated gamble with a cheekbone injury, was never tested in goal.
- It was a calculated risk to take a man without forensic experience, but we were looking for a manager primarily.
- It was a calculated risk, like all voyages into the unknown.
- These high-handed tactics were obviously risky, but they were a calculated risk.
- The movie moguls were taking it up.
- Under normal circumstances Chaplin may well have simply thrown the eminent movie mogul a mere passing glance of recognition.
It was a big gamble for her to leave the band and go solo.gamble on The gamble on the harvest had paid off (=succeeded). Ellen had to admit the gamble had paid off (=succeeded). In a depressed market, we cannot afford to take a gamble on a new product.COLLOCATIONSverbstake a gamble· The publishers took a gamble on an unknown author, and the books have sold well.a gamble pays off (=succeeds)· She gave up a career in law to become an actor, but the gamble has paid off.adjectivesa big gamble· It's a big gamble for any presenter to leave such a successful show.a huge gamble· Giving him the job seemed like a huge gamble at the time.a calculated gamble (=one in which you consider the risks very carefully)· He made a calculated gamble that an early election would return his party to power.a desperate gamble· The parents took a desperate gamble by throwing their baby out of the burning building.a political gamble· His determination to go ahead with the plan, despite the unrest, was a huge political gamble.phrasesbe a bit of a gamble (=involve a small amount of risk)· It was a bit of a gamble putting him on the field, but he played well.be something of a gamble (=involve an amount of risk)· A few years ago, launching a weekly magazine for men would have been something of a gamble.