Definition of 'gamble'

Word Frequency

gamble

(gæmbəl )

Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular present tense gambles , present participle gambling , past tense, past participle gambled

1. countable noun

A gamble is a risky action or decision that you take in the hope of gaining money, success, or an advantage over other people.

Yesterday, he named his cabinet and took a big gamble in the process.

...the president's risky gamble in calling a referendum.

Synonyms: risk, chance, venture, lottery More Synonyms of gamble

2. verb

If you gamble on something, you take a risky action or decision in the hope of gaining money, success, or an advantage over other people.

Few firms will be willing to gamble on new products. [VERB + on]

They are not prepared to gamble their careers on this matter. [VERB noun + on]

Who wants to gamble with the life of a friend? [VERB + with]

Synonyms: take a chance, back, speculate, take the plunge More Synonyms of gamble

3. verb

If you gamble an amount of money, you bet it in a game such as cards or on the result of a race or competition. People who gamble usually do it frequently.

Most people visit Las Vegas to gamble their hard-earned money. [VERB noun]

John gambled heavily on the horses. [VERB + on]

He was gambling heavily, to the alarm of his family. [VERB]

He gambled away his family estate on a single throw of the dice. [V n with away]

Synonyms: bet, play, game, stake More Synonyms of gamble

More Synonyms of gamble

Video: pronunciation of
gamble

gamble in British English

(ˈɡæmbəl )

verb

1. (intransitive)

to play games of chance to win money

to risk or bet (money) on the outcome of an event, sport, etc

3. (intransitive; often foll by on)

to act with the expectation of

to gamble on its being a sunny day

4. (often foll by away)

to lose by or as if by betting; squander

noun

a risky act or venture

a bet, wager, or other risk or chance taken for possible monetary gain

Derived forms

gambler (ˈgambler)

noun

gambling (ˈgambling)

noun

Word origin

C18: probably variant of game1

Word Frequency

gamble in American English

(ˈgæmbəl )

verb intransitiveWord forms: ˈgambled or ˈgambling

to play games of chance for money or some other stake

to take a risk in order to gain some advantage

verb transitive

to risk in gambling; bet; wager

noun

an act or undertaking involving risk of a loss

Idioms:

gamble away

Derived forms

gambler (ˈgambler) (ˈgæmblər )

noun

Word origin

prob. back-form. < obs. gamler, a gambler < gamel, to play (altered < ME gamen, to play < game, game1) + -er: akin to Ger dial. gammeln, to sport, make merry

Word Frequency

gamble in American English

(ˈɡæmbəl) (verb -bled, -bling)

intransitive verb

to play at any game of chance for money or other stakes

to stake or risk money, or anything of value, on the outcome of something involving chance

to gamble on a toss of the dice

transitive verb

3. (usually fol. by away)

to lose or squander by betting

He gambled all his hard-earned money away in one night

to wager or risk (money or something else of value)

to gamble one's freedom

to take a chance on; venture; risk

I'm gambling that our new store will be a success

noun

any matter or thing involving risk or hazardous uncertainty

a venture in a game of chance for stakes, esp. for high stakes

Derived forms

gambler

noun

Word origin

[1150–1200; ME gamenen to play (OE gamenian), with substitution of -le for -en; see game1]

Examples of 'gamble' in a sentence
gamble

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Ministers are concerned by the growing number of people with a gambling problem.He might as well take a gamble.Macau is the only place in the country where casino gambling is legal.The regulator has been criticised because bookmakers that allow gambling with stolen money merely have to refund victims.Yet potentially sacrificing your long-term health for a sport is a dangerous gamble to take.It is one thing to kick the establishment, quite another to take a gamble of such epic proportions.He was a monster gamble that day, backed in to 4-1 favourite.The point at which a risk becomes a gamble is a subjective view.It was a big gamble selling the house to send me to an academy. People want to gamble and technology allows many new forms of gambling.