accident

/'æksidənt/

Thân thiện

A child spills a glass of milk by accident.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • An unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury: This is the most common meaning, referring to harmful or undesirable events like crashes or falls.
   • An event that happens by chance or without apparent cause: Something that occurs unexpectedly, not planned or foreseen. This can be neutral, positive, or negative.
   • Something that is not essential or inherent; a nonessential property or feature: A secondary or incidental characteristic of something.

Examples of Usage

• Noun (Unfortunate Mishap):
  • He was injured in a car accident.
  • The factory was closed after a serious industrial accident.
• Noun (Chance Event):
  • Our meeting was a happy accident.
  • The discovery of penicillin was a fortunate accident.
• Noun (Nonessential Feature):
  • In philosophy, an 'accident' is a property that a substance can lose without ceasing to be itself. (This usage is more technical.)

Advanced Usage

• "by accident": Happening by chance; unintentionally.
  • I deleted the file by accident.
  • We met by accident at the airport.
• "accident of birth": The circumstances of one's birth, such as social status or nationality, which are a matter of chance.
  • His privilege was merely an accident of birth.
• "accident waiting to happen": A situation that is very likely to lead to an accident or disaster.
  • That old wiring is an accident waiting to happen.

Variants and Related Words

• Accidental (adj): Happening by chance or unintentionally; not essential.
  • The fire was accidental.
  • The beauty of the stone is accidental to its function.
• Accidentally (adv): In an accidental manner; by chance.
  • She accidentally spilled her drink.

Synonyms

• Mishap: An unlucky accident (often minor).
• Fluke: A unlikely chance occurrence, especially a surprising piece of luck.
• Fortuity: The occurrence of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way.
• Chance event: An event that occurs without human intention or observable cause.

Related Phrases

• Accident-prone (adj): Having a greater than average number of accidents.
  • He's so accident-prone he trips over his own feet.
• Accident and emergency (A&E) (n): The British term for the hospital department treating urgent cases (Emergency Room in American English).

Related Idioms

• A chapter of accidents: A series of unfortunate events.
  • Our journey was a complete chapter of accidents.
• Accidents will happen: Said to emphasize that it is inevitable that accidents or mistakes will occur sometimes.
  • Don't worry about breaking the glass—accidents will happen.

Học thuật

Noun

1. anything that happens suddenly or by chance without an apparent cause
   • winning the lottery was a happy accident
   • the pregnancy was a stroke of bad luck
   • it was due to an accident or fortuity
2. an unfortunate mishap; especially one causing damage or injury

Từ đồng nghĩa

• stroke
• fortuity
• chance event