jeopardy
UK: ˈdʒep.ə.di | US: ˈdʒep.ɚ.di
n. danger of loss, harm, or failure
n. (legal) a defendant's risk of conviction in a trial
jeopardy = jeo<game> + pard<divided> + y<noun suffix>
- jeo<game>: From Old French jeu (game), derived from Latin jocus (jest, play).
- pard<divided>: From Old French parti (divided, part), from Latin partitus (divided).
- y: Noun-forming suffix indicating a state or condition.
Etymology Origin:
The word jeopardy originated in Middle English as jupartie, borrowed from Old French jeu parti (literally "divided game"). It originally referred to a chess move that split the game into uncertain outcomes, symbolizing risk or precariousness. Over time, it generalized to mean any situation of danger or uncertainty, particularly in legal contexts where a defendant faces potential conviction.
The hikers were in serious jeopardy when the storm hit.
The company’s financial instability put thousands of jobs in jeopardy.
His careless actions could place the entire project in jeopardy.
The defendant’s lawyer argued that the evidence was insufficient to warrant jeopardy.
Climate change has placed many species in jeopardy of extinction.