English Reference
Idiom idiom

run a risk


To perform an action which may result in a loss or failure.

Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.


SIMPLE

You run a risk if you drive too fast.

CONTEXTUAL

If you invest all your money in one company, you run a risk of losing everything.

COMPLEX

By ignoring the early warning signs of the market crash, the firm continued to run a risk that ultimately led to its total collapse.


Related idioms8entries
  1. 01

    break into a run

    To start running.

  2. 02

    common run

    Ordinary persons, things, or events.

  3. 03

    dry run

    A practice or rehearsal; especially, one that goes through all the motions of a physical process but without the raw material or workpiece present.

  4. 04

    dummy run

    A trial or practice before the real attempt.

  5. 05

    good run

    Success over an extended period.

  6. 06

    hit and run

    A road accident in which a driver hits someone and then drives away without stopping to help or take responsibility.

  7. 07

    hold with the hare and run with the hounds

    To oppose an action or behavior and yet engage in the same action or behavior; to be a hypocrite.

  8. 08

    learn to walk before one can run

    Before one can perform a complicated task, one has to learn how to perform more simple tasks.

Last updated August 10, 2026