adventure

Etymology 1

From Middle English aventure, aunter, anter, from Old French aventure, from Late Latin adventurus, from Latin advenire, adventum (“to arrive”), which in the Romance languages took the sense of "to happen, befall" (see also advene). Compare Scots adventur, Swedish äventyr, German Abenteuer.

noun

1. The encountering of risks; a bold undertaking, in which dangers are likely to be encountered, and the issue is staked upon unforeseen events; a daring feat.
2. A remarkable occurrence; a striking event.
   A life full of adventures.
3. A mercantile or speculative enterprise of hazard; a venture; a shipment by a merchant on his own account.
4. (uncountable) A feeling of desire for new and exciting things.
   his sense of adventure
5. (video games) A text adventure or an adventure game.
   The first thing to strike me about Spyplane was that it is more like a verbal simulation than an adventure. 1984 May, “Spyplane”, in Crash, number 4, (review)
   To sum up, I think this is definitely one of the best adventures around for the Spectrum now, along with Gnome Ranger… 1988 May, Mike Gerrard, “The Guild of Thieves [review]”, in Your Sinclair, number 29, archived from the original on 2013-05-26
   Before you sit down in front of your Speccy to play an adventure, equip yourself with a pencil, eraser and plenty of paper. This so that you may draw a 'map' of the adventure as you move around. 1992 October, Larry Horsfield, “The SU Guide to Playing and Writing Adventure Games”, in Sinclair User, number 128
6. (obsolete) That which happens by chance; hazard; hap.
7. (obsolete) Chance of danger or loss.
8. (obsolete) Risk; danger; peril.
   He was in great adventure of his life. 1895, Lord Berners, transl., The Chronicles of Froissart

Etymology 2

From Middle English aventuren, auntren, which from Old French aventurer, from aventure.

verb

1. (archaic, transitive) To risk or hazard; jeopard; venture.
2. (archaic, transitive) To venture upon; to run the risk of; to dare.
   Discriminations might be adventured. c. 1860, Isaac Taylor, Heads in Groups
3. (archaic, intransitive) To try the chance; to take the risk.
   The year following the ſaid [William] Warham was tranſlated to Canterbury, at whoſe inthronization ſomething occurred relating to this Univerſity; which though a little out of the road, yet I ſhall adventure to remember it, and it is this. 1792, Anthony à Wood, The History and Antiquities of the University of Oxford:[…], volume I, Oxford, Oxfordshire: John Gutch, →OCLC, page 661