risk
n. C / Un. The possibility that something bad or dangerous will happen. You take a risk when you do something that might have a negative outcome.
n. The possibility of loss, injury, or other adverse circumstance; a chance or situation involving such a possibility. Uncountable when referring to the general possibility of harm; countable when referring to specific potential sources of danger.
Smoking is a big health risk.
Investing in new companies carries a high degree of financial risk.
The expedition leader had to weigh the risk of an avalanche against the dwindling food supplies when deciding whether to press on or turn back.
From earlier risque, from Middle French risque, from Old Italian risco (“risk”) (modern Italian rischio) and rischiare (“to run into danger”). Displaced native Old English pleoh (“risk”) and plēon (“to risk”). speculation on earlier roots Most dictionaries consider the etymology of these Italian terms uncertain, but some suggest they perhaps come from Vulgar Latin *resecum (“that which cuts, rock, crag”) (> Medieval Latin resicu), from Latin resecō (“cut off, loose, curtail”, verb), in the sense of that which is a danger to boating or shipping; or from Ancient Greek ῥιζικόν (rhizikón, “root, radical, hazard”). A few dictionaries express more certainty. Collins says the Italian risco comes from Ancient Greek ῥίζα (rhíza, “cliff”) due to the hazards of sailing along rocky coasts. The American Heritage says it probably comes from Byzantine Greek ῥιζικό, ριζικό (rhizikó, rizikó, “sustenance obtained by a soldier through his own initiative, fortune”), from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”), from Classical Syriac ܪܘܙܝܩܐ ,ܪܙܩܐ (rezqā, rōzīqā, “daily ration”), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōčig), from Middle Persian [script needed] (rōč, “day”), from Old Persian [script needed] (raučah-), from Proto-Indo-European lewk-. Karla Mallette derives the word from Arabic رِزْق (rizq, “sustenance, that which God allots”) via Sabir. Cognate with Spanish riesgo, Portuguese risco
Commonly followed by 'of' to specify the negative outcome (e.g., 'risk of injury'). The phrase 'at risk' means in a dangerous situation, and 'take a risk' means to do something dangerous.
at risk to fail the examat risk of failing the examThe preposition 'of' in the phrase 'at risk of' must be followed by a noun or a gerund (-ing form), not an infinitive.