venture

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. An undertaking that is dangerous, daring, or of uncertain outcome.
2. n. A business enterprise involving some risk in expectation of gain.
3. n. Something, such as money or cargo, at hazard in a risky enterprise.
4. v. To expose to danger or risk: ventured her entire fortune.
5. v. To brave the dangers of: ventured the high seas in a small boat.
6. v. To express at the risk of denial, criticism, or censure: "I would venture to guess that Anon., who wrote so many poems without signing them, was often a woman” ( Virginia Woolf).
7. v. To take a risk; dare.
8. v. To proceed despite possible danger or risk: ventured into the wilderness.
9. idiom. at a venture By mere chance or fortune; at random.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which cannot be foreseen with certainty; the staking of something; a hazard.
2. n. Specifically, a scheme for making gain by way of trade; a commercial speculation.
3. n. The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; particularly, something sent to sea in trade.
4. n. Chance; hap; contingency; luck; an event that is not or cannot, be foreseen.
5. n. Synonyms Hazard, etc. See risk.
6. To dare; have courage or presumption, as to do, undertake, or say.
7. To run a hazard or risk; try the chance; make a venture; expose one's life, fortune, etc.
8. To expose to hazard; risk; stake.
9. To run the hazard of; expose one's self to.
10. To put or send on a venture or commercial speculation.
11. To confide in; rely on; trust.

Wiktionary

1. n. A risky or daring undertaking or journey.
2. v. transitive To undertake a risky or daring journey.
3. v. transitive To risk or offer.
4. v. intransitive to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success. Used with at or on
5. v. transitive To put or send on a venture or chance.
6. v. transitive To confide in; to rely on; to trust.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard; a risk; a speculation.
2. n. An event that is not, or can not be, foreseen; an accident; chance; hap; contingency; luck.
3. n. The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade.
4. v. To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare.
5. v. To make a venture; to run a hazard or risk; to take the chances.
6. v. To expose to hazard; to risk; to hazard.
7. v. To put or send on a venture or chance.
8. v. rare To confide in; to rely on; to trust.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers
2. n. an investment that is very risky but could yield great profits
3. v. put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation
4. v. put at risk
5. n. a commercial undertaking that risks a loss but promises a profit
6. n. any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain outcome