hazard1 nounhazard2 verb
hazardhaz‧ard1 /ˈhæzəd $ -ərd/ ●●○ noun [countable] 
WORD ORIGINhazard1
Origin:
1200-1300 Old French hasard ‘game of chance played with dice’, from Arabic az-zahr ‘the chance’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- a study into the potential hazards of playing computer games for long periods of time
- Despite the hazards of working 50 storeys above the ground, my grandfather loved his job.
- Flashing signs on the motorway warn drivers of hazards ahead.
- For international traders, changes in the exchange rate are an unavoidable hazard.
- Ice on the road is a major hazard at this time of the year.
- Malaria is a common hazard of life in the region.
- Serious lung disease seems to be an occupational hazard of working in mines.
- Steep stairs can present a particular hazard to older people.
- Automakers say that in their zeal to promote airbags, regulators turned a blind eye to evidence of hazards.
- Many represent a hazard to neonatal life.
- Other approaches include limiting vehicle horsepower, placing warning signs to mark hazards and enforcing speed limits.
- Popular wisdom accepts impacts as a real hazard.
- The estimated hazard may increase with duration for some individuals and not for others in the sample, depending on their data.
- This presented a hazard that she hadn't experienced before - traffic.
- We all know that in contemporary science the greatest occupational hazard is simultaneous discovery.
THESAURUS
the chance that something bad may happen: · Smoking greatly increases the risk of lung cancer.
the possibility that something very bad will happen: · the only way to reduce the threat of nuclear war
something that may be dangerous or cause accidents or problems: · natural hazards like avalanches
Longman Language Activatordanger of death or serious harm the possibility that someone or something will be harmed or killed: · Danger! Keep out.· I stood at the side of the road and waved my arms to warn other drivers of the danger.danger of: · The organization ran a national campaign about the dangers of cigarettes and other tobacco products.
the possibility of serious harm if you do something dangerous - use this especially when you want to say how great the possibility is: · How much risk is there with this kind of operation?· A lot of children start smoking without realizing what the risks are.risk of: · What exactly is the risk of an ordinary aircraft crashing?high/low risk: · There is a high risk of injury in contact sports such as rugby.· It is possible to get malaria in this area, but the risk is pretty low.reduce/increase the risk: · Wearing a seatbelt can reduce the risk of serious injury.risk to/for: · The disease affects cats but there is no risk to humans.carry a risk: · Many of these beaches are not clean, and they carry a high risk of viral infection for swimmers.
something that may be dangerous, cause accidents etc: · Flashing signs on the motorway warn drivers of hazards ahead.hazard of: · Despite the hazards of working 50 storeys above the ground, my grandfather loved his job.present/represent a hazard (to somebody): · Steep stairs can present a particular hazard to older people.
something that can cause danger, especially during a journey - used especially in literature: · None of us who set off on that calm September morning could have foreseen the perils that lay ahead.peril of: · the perils of a life at sea
to be likely to be dangerous to people or things to be likely to harm other people or things: · People who drink and drive are a danger to themselves and to others.· The judge described Thomas as 'a danger to the public'.· Extreme nationalism is the single greatest danger to peace in the modern world.
formal if a situation or the existence of something poses a threat , it is dangerous to people: · Supplies of food were so low that this posed a threat as serious as invasion.pose a threat to: · Chemicals in our drinking water could pose a serious threat to public health.pose no threat: · Scientists feel that present levels of radiation pose no threat.
if an activity or a problem threatens something such as a place, animal, or way of life, it could cause it to no longer exist: · Illegal hunting threatens the survival of the African elephant.· By August, it was clear that the volcano could threaten the whole island.
someone who is a menace behaves in a dangerous way, without thinking about the safety of other people: · Drivers like that are a menace. They shouldn't be allowed on the road.be a menace to: · We consider drug trafficking to be a menace to the security of our nation.
to be likely to kill people, cause accidents etc: · Ice on the road is a major hazard at this time of the year.be a hazard to: · The residents of Hollyhurst Road complained that cars parked there were a hazard to pedestrians.be a fire/health/environmental etc hazard: · Garbage that is left uncollected becomes a serious health hazard.
a situation or object that is likely to cause a fire or to damage people's health: · Litter problems and a high fire risk mean that there is now restricted camping on the route.· Cigarettes are acknowledged as a serious health risk and the main cause of lung cancer.
informal if a building, road, car etc is a death-trap , it is very dangerous to enter or use, for example because it is in very bad condition, or is badly designed: · Fire-safety inspectors described the basement night-club as a death trap.· The ancient bridge was described as a potential death trap for the tourists that flock there.
a possibility that something bad might happen a possibility that something harmful or unpleasant will happen, especially as a result of something else: · There are a lot of risks involved when you start your own business.risk of: · People continue to smoke, despite knowing the risks of heart disease or cancer.risk of doing something: · Drivers often break the speed limit, and there's little risk of getting caught.risk that: · We can't ignore the risk that fighting could spread throughout the region.reduce/increase the risk of something: · Clean the wound thoroughly to reduce the risk of infection.
the possibility that something dangerous or very unpleasant will happen, for example if a particular situation continues or is not dealt with: · The river has not flooded yet, but that does not mean the danger has passed.· The gas leak was quickly fixed, but workers at the factory say the danger remains real.danger of: · Is there any danger of Mike being arrested?· Wear a hat and drink plenty of fluids to reduce the danger of sunstroke.danger that: · There's a real danger that the region's forests will disappear completely in the next 50 years.
a strong possibility that something very bad will happen, especially something that will affect a lot of people: · Tuberculosis is a common threat when people live in crowded conditions.· The nuclear threat, while not gone completely, is reduced.threat of: · Once again the people of Sudan face the threat of famine.threat to: · The latest outbreak of the disease can be seen as the greatest threat to UK farmers yet.threat that: · There is a threat that the violence will break out again.pose a threat (=be a threat): · It's nonsense to say that the protesters pose any threat to democratic society.
a risk that cannot be avoided, because it is always there in a particular activity or situation: · For international traders, changes in the exchange rate are an unavoidable hazard.hazard of doing something: · a study into the potential hazards of playing computer games for long periods of timehazard of: · Malaria is a common hazard of life in the region.occupational hazard (=a hazard that always exists in a particular job): · Serious lung disease seems to be an occupational hazard of working in mines.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRYADJECTIVES/NOUN + hazard
Getting injured is an occupational hazard (=a risk that always exists in a particular job or activity) of the sport.
1something that may be dangerous, or cause accidents or problemshazard to/for· The rubbish needs to be removed before it becomes a health hazard.
· The unoccupied building was declared a fire hazard.
· Protesters claim that the nuclear reactor is a safety hazard.
· Cars parked in the wrong places can cause a traffic hazard.
(=a hazard caused by nature)· One of the most widespread natural hazards is flooding.
(=a danger or problem in the environment)· Oil from the tanker caused an environmental hazard.
· Lead pipes are a serious hazard to health.
· Microwave ovens are a potential hazard if not used properly.
verbs· There was concern that overhead power lines could cause a health hazard.
(=be a possible hazard)· It was not known whether radiation from the weapons posed any hazard to soldiers.
(=get rid of a hazard)· They took steps to eliminate all potential fire hazards.
· He led the campaign to recognize and reduce the hazard from radiation in our environment.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES (=guess something, when you feel very uncertain)· No one at this stage is prepared to hazard a guess about the outcome of the elections.
(=something that could damage your health)· The report looked at the health risks linked to eating excess sugar.
Getting injured is an occupational hazard (=a risk that always exists in a particular job or activity) of the sport. (=something which may be dangerous)· The firing range is poorly designed and poses a significant safety hazard.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADJECTIVE· An environmental hazard and an eyesore at a park off Swindon's Cricklade Road.· The need to protect the residents of the base from environmental hazards places severe demands on its design and construction.· The fact that they were creating a possible environmental hazard, didn't enter into it.· Initial fears that oil from the tanker would cause an environmental hazard proved unfounded.· The legislation stated that the plant posed serious environmental hazards and increased the risk of nuclear proliferation.· The survey will report on environmental hazards associated with exploration, such as the sea floor and faults.· One of the first environmental hazards to be studied was that of desertification.
· The collection of historical data on natural hazards is important since it is clear that their spatial pattern varies through time.· The further subdivision of natural hazards is self-explanatory as is that of individual technological hazards.· It is often seen in nature, but becomes much more obvious when natural hazards are removed in captive and human populations.· It's a demanding course with, some would say, more than its fair share of natural hazards.· Research on natural hazards has a long tradition in geography going back more than half a century.· Spatial analysis features particularly prominent on the research agenda relating to natural and technological hazards and geodemographics.· It may, of course, be easier to quantify risk for natural hazards because of historical records and statistical estimation of recurrence intervals.· Another natural hazard is radioactive material.
· Therefore, hepatitis B represents a significant occupational hazard to all workers who have contact with blood or body fluids.· We all know that in contemporary science the greatest occupational hazard is simultaneous discovery.· This is an occupational hazard shared by sportswriters and opinion pollsters.· By the early seventies both were considered unremarkable occupational hazards of life in the gay fast lane.· Getting injured is an occupational hazard.· Loss of concentration, a complete lack of ability to focus, was the chief occupational hazard of the trading floor.· Such questions from the likes of nosy old hacks like me are an occupational hazard of the famous.· The data on occupational hazards and wage differentials, used by Thaler and Rosen, suffer from several problems: 1.
· A potential X-ray hazard could then exist.· Mines had been a potential hazard at or near the scene of fighting or port approaches since 1983.· But the potential hazards are not imaginary.· Each component was hot dip galvanized prior to being brought on site and welding was avoided to eliminate potential fire hazards.· Environmental hazards Potential hazards in the hospital environment are numerous.· You should report any potential danger or hazard to your manager.
· Henry did realize, didn't he, that what he'd done had constituted a real health hazard?· What are the real hazards from these smaller, much more numerous impactors?· The one real hazard here is the clock mounted on the north wall.· But clearly the real hazard lies with larger, rarer bodies.· Popular wisdom accepts impacts as a real hazard.
· Rush hour crowding was a serious hazard, and the station was 39 percent understaffed.· In general, both shock waves from airbursts and tsunami waves from ocean impacts may present serious hazards to populated areas.· The legislation stated that the plant posed serious environmental hazards and increased the risk of nuclear proliferation.· Overloading a socket outlet can easily start a fire, and all those trailing flexes pose a serious trip hazard.· Avoid foam filled sofas - they are a serious fire hazard and give off fatal fumes and petrochemical vapours when burning.
NOUN· Mrs R. was a heavy smoker, and this was a fire hazard.· The build-up of ice on roofs is also creating leaks that threaten internal wiring and pose a fire hazard.· The road fizzled out at a gate plastered with fire hazard warnings, leading on to the moor itself.· She knew all about fire hazards.· Each component was hot dip galvanized prior to being brought on site and welding was avoided to eliminate potential fire hazards.· A little broom has been planted, but not much because it is a fire hazard.· The resulting rank heather is a severe fire hazard in areas attracting tourists.· The restaurant clogs quickly into a cosy fire hazard.
· Eisenhower claimed in 1955 that the tests were not a health hazard.· The public is convinced tobacco smoking is a health hazard and must be reined in.· Living close to overhead electric power lines causes health hazards.· But throughout the country, lawyers are realizing that their jobs just might be health hazards.· Campaigners claim deposits of coal dust released into the atmosphere are a health hazard and a nuisance.· Excess body fat is a health hazard.· Rubbish, including gas bottles, was strewn across the land and the entire site was a health hazard.· A public health hazard, to be sure, but not exactly the stuff of a page-turner.
· The health and safety hazards associated with nuclear energy will have to be overcome.· Before tests can begin, the Food and Drug Administration must decide if the potatoes are likely to pose major safety hazards.· The Department of Transport claims that the cafes are a safety hazard.· He says that they need the cafes because they're cheap, but they're not a safety hazard.
VERB· Henry did realize, didn't he, that what he'd done had constituted a real health hazard?· As far as he's aware, Freddie is quite harmless and doesn't constitute a health hazard.· Flying pests also constitute a health hazard.
· However, mats can themselves pose hazards, and it is as well if you are aware of these.· When operated in wide expanses of water, away from other people, jet skis pose no hazard.· The legislation stated that the plant posed serious environmental hazards and increased the risk of nuclear proliferation.· Overloading a socket outlet can easily start a fire, and all those trailing flexes pose a serious trip hazard.· They can pose a hazard to repair crews.· Before tests can begin, the Food and Drug Administration must decide if the potatoes are likely to pose major safety hazards.
· Nuclear waste Disposal of intermediate level nuclear waste on land also presents a hazard.· In general, both shock waves from airbursts and tsunami waves from ocean impacts may present serious hazards to populated areas.· The natural decomposition process which occurs in landfills also produces large quantities of methane and thereby presents a significant explosion hazard.· But the others would present a continuing hazard to Earth for thousands of years to come.
· Nick Kollerstrom's book will not help in the campaign to recognise and reduce the hazard from lead in our environment.
Polluted water sources are a hazard to wildlife. That pile of rubbish is a fire hazard (=something that is likely to cause a fire).health/safety hazard the health hazard posed by lead in petrol2a risk that cannot be avoidedthe hazards of something the economic hazards of running a small farmoccupational hazard (=a danger that exists in a job) Divorce seems to be an occupational hazard for politicians.COLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + hazarda health hazard· The rubbish needs to be removed before it becomes a health hazard.a fire hazard· The unoccupied building was declared a fire hazard.a safety hazard· Protesters claim that the nuclear reactor is a safety hazard.a traffic hazard· Cars parked in the wrong places can cause a traffic hazard.a natural hazard (=a hazard caused by nature)· One of the most widespread natural hazards is flooding.an environmental hazard (=a danger or problem in the environment)· Oil from the tanker caused an environmental hazard.a serious/major hazard· Lead pipes are a serious hazard to health.a potential hazard· Microwave ovens are a potential hazard if not used properly.verbscause/create a hazard· There was concern that overhead power lines could cause a health hazard.pose a hazard (=be a possible hazard)· It was not known whether radiation from the weapons posed any hazard to soldiers.eliminate a hazard (=get rid of a hazard)· They took steps to eliminate all potential fire hazards.reduce a hazard· He led the campaign to recognize and reduce the hazard from radiation in our environment.hazard1 nounhazard2 verb
hazardhazard2 verb [transitive] VERB TABLE
hazard
| Simple Form | ||
| Present | I, you, we, they | hazard |
| he, she, it | hazards | |
| Past | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | hazarded |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have hazarded |
| he, she, it | has hazarded | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had hazarded |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will hazard |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have hazarded |
| Continuous Form | ||
| Present | I | am hazarding |
| he, she, it | is hazarding | |
| you, we, they | are hazarding | |
| Past | I, he, she, it | was hazarding |
| you, we, they | were hazarding | |
| Present perfect | I, you, we, they | have been hazarding |
| he, she, it | has been hazarding | |
| Past perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | had been hazarding |
| Future | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will be hazarding |
| Future perfect | I, you, he, she, it, we, they | will have been hazarding |
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
- A few thought a steamer might hazard the crossing.
- It would be foolish even to hazard a guess.
- No wonder no-one at Siemens Nixdorf wants to hazard when the company might return to profit.
- Not being a builder, nor an architect, I can only hazard a guess.
- Now that the end at last seemed in sight, he thought he might hazard a look.
- The glitter in his hooded eyes made it impossible for her to hazard even the wildest guess at what he was thinking.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY $50,000? I don’t know. I’m only hazarding a guess.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Getting injured is an occupational hazard (=a risk that always exists in a particular job or activity) of the sport.
1to say something that is only a suggestion or guess and that might not be correct: $50,000? I don’t know. I’m only hazarding a guess. (=guess something, when you feel very uncertain)· No one at this stage is prepared to hazard a guess about the outcome of the elections.
(=something that could damage your health)· The report looked at the health risks linked to eating excess sugar.
Getting injured is an occupational hazard (=a risk that always exists in a particular job or activity) of the sport. (=something which may be dangerous)· The firing range is poorly designed and poses a significant safety hazard.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN· Not being a builder, nor an architect, I can only hazard a guess.· It would be foolish even to hazard a guess.· The glitter in his hooded eyes made it impossible for her to hazard even the wildest guess at what he was thinking.· We hazard a guess that they're lurking in a shoebox or, worse still, the ubiquitous carrier bag!· What on earth the referee had done to incur such mindless, moronic abuse, one can only hazard a guess.· I hazard a guess that there are not only pure stallions on the moor; fate and carelessness always complicates herd life.· What the connection is we can only hazard a guess at but it confirms all our worst suspicions about anything-core outfits once and for all.· It was hard to say, even hazard a guess.
$50,000? I don’t know. I’m only hazarding a guess.2formal to risk losing your money, property etc in an attempt to gain something