gamble
- 01 B1 Intermediate
v.to play games of chance, like cards or races, for money.
v.to play games of chance for money; often used intransitively to describe a habit or addiction.
Simple“He lost a lot of money because he used to gamble on horse races every weekend.”
In context“The state government recently introduced stricter regulations to prevent citizens from being able to gamble away their savings at local casinos.”
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
v.to take a risk with a decision because you hope for a good result.
v.to take a risk in the hope of a favourable outcome; often used with the preposition 'on'.
Simple“The company decided to gamble on a new product that no one had tried before.”
In context“The young entrepreneur was willing to gamble his entire inheritance on the belief that the market was ready for sustainable packaging solutions.”
- 03 B1 Intermediate
n.an action or decision that is risky but could have a big reward.
n.a risky act or venture undertaken with the hope of success.
Simple“Buying the old house was a gamble, but it is worth much more now.”
In context“The merger was a massive gamble for the airline, as failure would have resulted in immediate bankruptcy during a period of economic instability.”
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