Word
peril
Phoneticsper·il, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈpɛɹəɫ/
UK/pˈɛɹəl/
Definitions
01serious danger
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal · Literary
n. a situation where you are in great and immediate danger.
n. a state of serious and immediate danger; often used in the phrase 'at one's peril'.
日本語:危険※
“The small boat was in great peril as the storm waves grew higher.”
“The explorers were in mortal peril when their oxygen supplies began to fail at an altitude of eight thousand metres.”
Usage
Commonly appears in the fixed expression 'at your peril', meaning you must accept the risks of your own actions.
02a source of danger
C1 · Advanced Countable noun Law Formal · Technical
n. something that causes danger or risk.
n. a specific source of risk or a cause of loss, especially in a legal or insurance context.
Español:peligro
“The hidden rocks in the river are a peril to all passing ships.”
“The insurance policy specifically covers damage caused by fire, flood, and other natural perils.”
Usage
In insurance and law, it refers to the specific cause of a loss.
03to put at risk
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Literary
v. to put someone or something in a dangerous situation.
v. to expose to danger or risk; to imperil.
“His reckless driving could peril the lives of everyone in the car.”
“The diplomat feared that a single leaked document might peril the entire peace process.”
Usage
The verb form is significantly less common than the noun; modern writers typically prefer 'endanger' or 'imperil'.
Real-World Examples
“But many observers, from MPs to legal experts, say the whole system is in peril.” “Continuing down the current path comes at our own peril.” Etymology
From Middle English peril, from Old French peril, from Latin perīculum. Doublet of periculum.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/peril
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「日本語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0
Traducciones: Kaikki.org (Wiktionary), CC BY-SA 4.0