| 1. | exposure to the chance of injury or loss; a hazard or dangerous chance: It's not worth the risk. |
| 2. | Insurance.
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| 3. | to expose to the chance of injury or loss; hazard: to risk one's life. |
| 4. | to venture upon; take or run the chance of: to risk a fall in climbing; to risk a war. |
| 5. | at risk,
|
| 6. | take or run a risk, to expose oneself to the chance of injury or loss; put oneself in danger; hazard; venture. |

risk (rĭsk) n.
[French risque, from Italian risco, rischio.] risk'er n. |
Risk
The chance that an investment's actual return will be different than expected. This includes the possibility of losing some or all of the original investment. It is usually measured using the historical returns or average returns for a specific investment.
Investopedia Commentary
Higher risk means a greater opportunity for high returns... and a higher potential for loss.
Related Links
Determining Risk And The Risk Pyramid
The Equity Risk Premium - Part 1
The Equity Risk Premium - Part 2
See also: Beta, Country Risk, Eat Well, Sleep Well, Event Risk, Liquidity Risk, Market Exposure, Political Risk, Preservation of Capital, Price Risk, Reinvestment Risk, Return, Risk Averse, Risk Capital, Risk/Return Tradeoff, Systematic Risk, Unsystematic Risk
risk
risk (rĭsk)
n.
The possibility of suffering a harmful event.
A factor or course involving uncertain danger, as with smoking or exposure to radiation.
risk
In addition to the idiom beginning with risk, also see at risk; calculated risk; run a risk.