an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injuryhe had an accident at the factory(mass noun) if you are unable to work owing to accident or sickness▪a crash involving road or other vehiclesfour people were killed in a road accident▪(euphemistic) an incidence of incontinence by a child or animalhe had a little accident, but I washed his shorts out2. an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate causethe pregnancy was an accidentit is no accident that Manchester has produced more than its fair share of professional comics▪ (mass noun) the working of fortune; chancemembers belong to the House of Lords through hereditary right or accident of birth3. (Philosophy) (in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature Show phrasesan accident waiting to happenaccidents will happenby accidentwithout accident word originlate Middle English (in the general sense ‘an event’): via Old French from Latin accident- ‘happening’, from the verb accidere, from ad- ‘towards, to’ + cadere ‘to fall’ by accidentaccident noununintentionally; by chanceshe didn't get where she is today by accidentnomadic hunters probably ended up on the new continent by accidentExamplesOf course, the chances of this happening by accident are literally a hundred million billion to one.BritishIn truth, it was more by accident than design but it was a lucky chance which established his fame and fortune.BritishI might have pulled my front brake by accident, which is why I went over the front, but I don't know.BritishBut when Santa leaves him an extra present by accident Julian realises he will have to give it back.British without accidentaccident nounsafelyhe was able to stop the train without accidentExamplesThe rest of the day passed without accident or incident, Graham engaged on his final one-sheet list of tiny finishing jobs and me trying without much success to get my task-list under the same level of control.BritishI passed on the little pots of paint, mainly because I was fearful that my fingers aren't up to the job of opening them without accident, and picked up a fibre-tip pen and my little watercolour box instead.BritishIn answer to that, since 1967, I have driven about three million miles without accident, or insurance claim I might add.BritishThe greatest financial outlay required is on equipment, which may include small-scale crusher-destemmer, press, and an adequate supply of fermentation vessels, which allow the carbon dioxide to escape without accident.BritishEn route they encountered 14 ditches, all cleared without accident.IrishThey managed their little boat well and without accident.British accident compensationnoun (mass noun) (New Zealand English) a compensation scheme for workplace injuries, funded by statutory contributions from employers and employeesthey have renationalised accident compensation to protect those who need it(as modifier) it was easy for people to evade paying their accident compensation levy accident-pronevolume_up UK /ˈaksɪd(ə)ntˌprəʊn/adjectivetending to be involved in a greater than average number of accidentshe's always been accident-pronethe accident-prone chemicals giant suffered its ninth toxic dischargeExamplesAnd 70% said their tiredness was so debilitating they felt ‘unable to function properly’ and were more clumsy and accident-prone.IrishOn the other hand, I always was a clumsy, accident-prone little boy.British accident and emergencyvolume_up UK /ˌaksɪd(ə)nt ənd ɪˈməːrdʒ(ə)nsi/noun (British English) a hospital department concerned with the provision of immediate treatment to people who are seriously injured in an accident or who are suddenly taken seriously illthe boy was rushed to accident and emergency(as modifier) the costs of accident and emergency treatment and follow-up medical care an accident waiting to happenaccident noun1. a potentially disastrous situation, typically caused by negligent or faulty proceduresfrightened beach-goers have said jet-skiers travelling too close to swimmers are an accident waiting to happen2. (informal) a person certain to cause trouble or problemsthere were times, especially early in his career, when he looked like an accident waiting to happen behind the sticks |
