jeop·ard·y

[jep-er-dee]
noun, plural jeop·ard·ies.
1.
hazard or risk of or exposure to loss, harm, death, or injury: For a moment his life was in jeopardy.
2.
peril or danger: The spy was in constant jeopardy of being discovered.
3.
Law. the danger or hazard of being found guilty, and of consequent punishment, undergone by criminal defendants on trial.

Origin:
1200–50; Middle English j(e)uparti, joupardi(e), j(e)upardi(e) < Anglo-French, Old French: literally, divided game or play, hence, uncertain chance, problem (in chess or love), equivalent to j(e)u play, game (< Latin jocus joke) + parti, past participle of partir to divide; see party


1, 2. See danger.


1, 2. security.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source Link To jeopardy
00:10
Jeopardy is always a great word to know.
So is doohickey. Does it mean:
an arrangement of five objects, as trees, in a square or rectangle, one at each corner and one in the middle.
a gadget; dingus; thingumbob.
Collins
World English Dictionary
jeopardy (ˈdʒɛpədɪ) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
n
1.  danger of injury, loss, death, etc; risk; peril; hazard: his health was in jeopardy
2.  law See also double jeopardy danger of being convicted and punished for a criminal offence
 
[C14: from Old French jeu parti, literally: divided game, hence uncertain issue, from jeu game, from Latin jocus joke, game + partir to divide, from Latin partīrī]

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

jeopardy
c.1300, ioparde (13c. in Anglo-Fr.), from O.Fr. jeu parti, lit. "a divided game, game with even chances," from jeu "a game" (from L. jocus "jest") + parti, pp. of partir "to divide" (see part). Originally "a stratagem," sense of "danger, risk" is late 14c.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
Many ranchers were not supportive, fearful that their livelihoods would be in
  jeopardy from the predators.
The future of street musicians is in serious jeopardy by new city laws that
  extend noise curfews in certain areas.
Thus the gloom and doom folks have reason to worry that the season is in
  jeopardy if an agreement isn't reached soon.
No pragmatism or practicality to consider their future may be in jeopardy and
  can be acted upon to reduce or negate it.
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