ENGLISH
REFERENCE

jeopardy

n. · v.
US //ˈdʒɛpɝdi// UK //dʒˈɛpədi// jeop·ardy
  1. 1 danger or risk (n.)
    C1 Advanced Formal

    the danger of losing something, failing, or being harmed.

    the state of being at risk of loss, harm, or failure. Uncountable in general usage.

    Example

    The driver put the lives of his passengers in jeopardy by speeding through the rain.

    Example

    The sudden withdrawal of government subsidies has placed the entire research project in jeopardy, threatening years of data collection.
  2. 2 legal risk (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Formal Law

    the risk of being found guilty in a court of law.

    the danger of conviction or punishment faced by a defendant on trial.

    Example

    The lawyer argued that the new evidence put his client in double jeopardy.

    Example

    The constitutional protection against double jeopardy ensures that a defendant cannot be tried twice for the same crime following an acquittal.
  3. 3 to endanger (v.)
    C2 Proficiency Archaic

    to put someone or something in a dangerous situation.

    to expose to loss or injury; to imperil. This transitive form is largely superseded by the modern verb 'jeopardize'.

    Example

    He would not jeopardy his soul for a few pieces of gold.

    Example

    The knight refused to jeopardy his honour by engaging in a deceptive plot against the crown.

    Usage

    In modern English, use 'jeopardize' instead of the verb form 'jeopardy'.
Origin

From Middle English jupartie, jeupartie (“even chance”), from Anglo-Norman giu parti and Middle French jeu parti (“a divided game, i.e. an even game, an even chance”), from Medieval Latin iocus partītus (“an even chance, an alternative”), from Latin iocus (“jest, play, game”) + partītus, perfect passive participle of partiō (“divide”); see joke and party.

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

Last updated June 20, 2026