accident

Meaning

Noun

• An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences.
• Especially, a collision or similar unintended event that causes damage or death.
• Any chance event.
• Chance.
• Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential.
• An instance of incontinence.
• An unintended pregnancy.
• A quality or attribute in distinction from the substance, as sweetness, softness.
• A property attached to a word, but not essential to it, such as gender, number, or case.
• An irregular surface feature with no apparent cause.
• A sudden discontinuity of ground such as fault of great thickness, bed or lentil of unstable ground.{{cite book|
• A point or mark which may be retained or omitted in a coat of arms.
• casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.
• Appearance, manifestation.

Related

Similar words

• mishap
• casus

Origin

• First attested in the late 14th century. From Middle English, from Old French accident, from Latin accidēns, present active participle of accidō; from ad + cadō. See cadence, case. In the sense "unintended pregnancy", first attested in 1932.