risk

«risk» in Mova's school dictionary: the chance that something bad, like getting hurt or… — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

part of speech

noun (a risk, risks; risk — uncountable); verb (risk, risks, risked, risking)

meaning for a pupil

1) A risk is the chance that something bad, like getting hurt or losing something, may happen. tree →

2) A risk is a thing or situation that could cause harm. tree →

3) To risk something is to do something that could lead to losing or harming it. tree →

4) To take a risk is to do something even though it may go wrong. tree →

sense in the lessons

In safety lessons, children learn to spot risks (wet floors, busy roads, deep water) and reduce them (wear helmets, look both ways, swim between the flags); a risk assessment is a check before a school trip. Some risks are worth taking, like trying something new; others, like dares near roads or water, are not. In maths, risk is linked to chance and probability: high risk means likely. Phrases: «at risk», «take a risk», «risk it», «at your own risk», «high risk», «low risk», «not worth the risk», «risk assessment».

examples

• Wearing a helmet lowers the risk of head injury. tree →
• Swim at your own risk. tree →
• Don't take risks near cliffs. tree →
• He risked his life to save the dog. tree →
• Children near busy roads are at risk. tree →
• Is this a high risk or a low risk? tree →
• It's worth the risk to try out for the team. tree →
• She didn't want to risk getting wet, so she took an umbrella. tree →
• It is a great risk, and to go is not wise. tree →

note

Plural risks. «Risk» is followed by -ing: «risk getting hurt», not «risk to get hurt». Adjective: risky. «At risk» means in danger. In maths, more risk = higher chance of a bad result.

In the corpora

• Getting used to an invention does not mean ignoring its real risks.
• Little children are at most risk, because they reach up and grab without knowing what is hot.
• Anything that fits through a toilet roll tube is a choking risk for children under three.
• Sunburn damages skin and raises the risk of skin cancer later.
• Sunburn in childhood raises the risk of skin cancer later in life.

Trees and pragmatics

Every meaning and example of «risk» parsed by Mova, each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.