venture

[ven-cher]

noun

1. an undertaking involving uncertainty as to the outcome, especially a risky or dangerous one.

   a mountain-climbing venture.

2. a business enterprise or speculation in which something is risked in the hope of profit; a commercial or other speculation.

   Their newest venture allows you to order their products online.

3. the money, ship, cargo, merchandise, or the like, on which risk is taken in a business enterprise or speculation.

4. Obsolete.,  hazard or risk.

verb (used with object)

ventured, venturing 

1. to expose to hazard; risk.

   to venture one's fortune;

   to venture one's life.

   Synonyms: jeopardize, imperil, endanger

2. to take the risk of; brave the dangers of.

   to venture a voyage into space.

3. to undertake to express, as when opposition or resistance appears likely to follow; be bold enough; dare.

   I venture to say that you are behaving foolishly.

4. to take the risk of sending.

verb (used without object)

ventured, venturing 

1. to make or embark upon a venture; dare to enter or go.

   He ventured deep into the jungle.

2. to take a risk; dare; presume.

   to venture on an ambitious program of reform.

3. to invest venture capital.

adjective

1. of or relating to an investment or investments in new businesses.

   a venture fund.

venture

/ ˈvɛntʃə /

verb

1. (tr) to expose to danger; hazard

   he ventured his life

2. (tr) to brave the dangers of (something)

   I'll venture the seas

3. (tr) to dare (to do something)

   does he venture to object?

4. (tr; may take a clause as object) to express in spite of possible refutation or criticism

   I venture that he is not that honest

5. (intr; often foll by out, forth, etc) to embark on a possibly hazardous journey, undertaking, etc

   to venture forth upon the high seas

noun

1. an undertaking that is risky or of uncertain outcome

2. 1. a commercial undertaking characterized by risk of loss as well as opportunity for profit

   2. the merchandise, money, or other property placed at risk in such an undertaking

3. something hazarded or risked in an adventure; stake

4. archaic,  chance or fortune

5. at random; by chance

Other Word Forms

• venturer noun
• preventure noun
• unventured adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of venture¹

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, shortened from aventure adventure

Word History and Origins

Origin of venture¹

C15: variant of aventure _adventure

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. at a venture, according to chance; at random.

   A successor was chosen at a venture.

see nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Synonym Study

See dare.

Example Sentences

Beyond sidewalks and parks, Mather’s volunteers venture into the Santa Susana Mountains, using a truck to pick up items including abandoned motorcycles and washing machines.

From Los Angeles Times

“Lay Me Down” with Dirty Heads is one of your biggest songs, with nearly 120 million Spotify plays, but it came out in 2010 — much earlier than your current venture in your solo career.

From Los Angeles Times

The key question for the US and its allies is how far can China's war fleet sail, and how far from its shores is Beijing prepared to venture.

From BBC

Recently a U.S. federal court of appeals upheld this lie by ruling against the Atlanta-based Fearless Fund, a venture capital firm’s grant program designed to benefit Black women businesses founded and run by Black women.

From Salon

Vaughn’s current business ventures include serving as an advisor at Perfect Game, which distributes the podcast.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• deal 
• endeavor 
• enterprise 
• experiment 
• investment 
• project 
• undertaking