Accident
noun
An unexpected event that is not planned, usually causing harm or damage.
There was a car accident on the highway today.
Often appears as...
- car accident
- by accident
noun
An event or thing that happens by chance or without intention.
His discovery was an accident; he wasn't looking for it.
Often appears as...
- happy accident
- unexpected accident
noun
In philosophical context, attributes not essential to a substance or a thing.
In Aristotle's idea, beauty is an accident, not a substance.
Often appears as...
- philosophical accident
- aristotle's accident
Usage tips
Academic
noun
An unexpected event that is not planned, usually causing harm or damage.
There was a car accident on the highway today.
Often appears as...
- car accident
- by accident
noun
An event or thing that happens by chance or without intention.
His discovery was an accident; he wasn't looking for it.
Often appears as...
- happy accident
- unexpected accident
noun
In philosophical context, attributes not essential to a substance or a thing.
In Aristotle's idea, beauty is an accident, not a substance.
Often appears as...
- philosophical accident
- aristotle's accident
Usage tips
Academic
Definition 1 of 3
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Harm
‘Accident’ often implies someone was hurt or something was damaged without anyone meaning to do it.
He broke his arm by accident when he slipped on the ice.
Pro Tip 2/3Not On Purpose
Use 'accident' to stress that something bad happened that nobody planned or wanted.
She apologized for the vase she knocked over by accident.
Pro Tip 3/3Serious Incidents
The word can be used for serious occurrences, such as car or industrial accidents.
The factory was shut down after a serious industrial accident.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Harm
‘Accident’ often implies someone was hurt or something was damaged without anyone meaning to do it.
He broke his arm by accident when he slipped on the ice.
Pro Tip 2/3Not On Purpose
Use 'accident' to stress that something bad happened that nobody planned or wanted.
She apologized for the vase she knocked over by accident.
Pro Tip 3/3Serious Incidents
The word can be used for serious occurrences, such as car or industrial accidents.
The factory was shut down after a serious industrial accident.
Pro Tip 1/3Unexpected Harm
‘Accident’ often implies someone was hurt or something was damaged without anyone meaning to do it.
He broke his arm by accident when he slipped on the ice.
Pro Tip 2/3Not On Purpose
Use 'accident' to stress that something bad happened that nobody planned or wanted.
She apologized for the vase she knocked over by accident.
Pro Tip 3/3Serious Incidents
The word can be used for serious occurrences, such as car or industrial accidents.
The factory was shut down after a serious industrial accident.
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Video examples
Upgrading management...
with real-world analytics the results of the drivers are getting home earlier to see their families mileage is down which is good for profits in the environment customer satisfaction is actually up and they've been saving lives through an insight that they didn't have which is most accidents were happening during left-hand turns so what's next a hundred
Video examples
Why are some people...
can more easily find a set of right-handed clubs, many of the important instruments that have shaped society were designed for the right-handed majority. Because lefties are worse at using these tools, and suffer from higher accident rates, they would be less successful in a purely cooperative world,
Video examples
How heavy is air? - Dan...
that fills our bodies exerts an amount of pressure equal to that of the air outside. Of course, this is no accident. It's precisely what allows us to survive in the normal atmosphere, and what makes it more difficult at high altitudes or deep water. And we normally don't feel the air pressing on us
Video examples
The ethical dilemma of...
decreased harmful emissions, and minimized unproductive and stressful driving time. But accidents can and will still happen, and when they do, their outcomes may be determined months or years in advance by programmers or policy makers. And they'll have some difficult decisions to make.
Video examples
Where do superstitions...
or at least they did until we forgot their original purpose. For example, theater scenery used to consist of large painted backdrops, raised and lowered by stagehands who would whistle to signal each other. Absentminded whistles from other people could cause an accident.
Video examples
Would you sacrifice one...
But new technology is making this kind of ethical analysis more important than ever. For example, driver-less cars may have to handle choices like causing a small accident to prevent a larger one. Meanwhile, governments are researching autonomous military drones
Video examples
How we read each other's...
now people say she deserves a lot of blame, even though what happened in the real world was exactly the same. And in fact, they say she deserves more blame in this case, the failed attempt to harm, than in another case, which we call an accident.
Video examples
How X-rays see through...
in mummies buried thousands of years ago. So what began as Roentgen's happy accident has become a medical marvel. Hospitals and clinics now conduct over 100 millions scans each year worldwide to treat diseases and save lives.
Video examples
Barriers Are in Your...
a year ago after a brutal accident I lost my life and I chose to become Bionic I had to rethink my world my my identity my purpose my physicality all the pieces of my past endeavors they all
Video examples
Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog...
Bilbo thinks he's a lifeguard too but it's no accident that Bilbo such a capable swimmer Newfoundlands have always been salty old
Video examples
Upgrading management...
with real-world analytics the results of the drivers are getting home earlier to see their families mileage is down which is good for profits in the environment customer satisfaction is actually up and they've been saving lives through an insight that they didn't have which is most accidents were happening during left-hand turns so what's next a hundred
Video examples
Why are some people...
can more easily find a set of right-handed clubs, many of the important instruments that have shaped society were designed for the right-handed majority. Because lefties are worse at using these tools, and suffer from higher accident rates, they would be less successful in a purely cooperative world,
Video examples
How heavy is air? - Dan...
that fills our bodies exerts an amount of pressure equal to that of the air outside. Of course, this is no accident. It's precisely what allows us to survive in the normal atmosphere, and what makes it more difficult at high altitudes or deep water. And we normally don't feel the air pressing on us
Video examples
The ethical dilemma of...
decreased harmful emissions, and minimized unproductive and stressful driving time. But accidents can and will still happen, and when they do, their outcomes may be determined months or years in advance by programmers or policy makers. And they'll have some difficult decisions to make.
Video examples
Where do superstitions...
or at least they did until we forgot their original purpose. For example, theater scenery used to consist of large painted backdrops, raised and lowered by stagehands who would whistle to signal each other. Absentminded whistles from other people could cause an accident.
Video examples
Would you sacrifice one...
But new technology is making this kind of ethical analysis more important than ever. For example, driver-less cars may have to handle choices like causing a small accident to prevent a larger one. Meanwhile, governments are researching autonomous military drones
Video examples
How we read each other's...
now people say she deserves a lot of blame, even though what happened in the real world was exactly the same. And in fact, they say she deserves more blame in this case, the failed attempt to harm, than in another case, which we call an accident.
Video examples
How X-rays see through...
in mummies buried thousands of years ago. So what began as Roentgen's happy accident has become a medical marvel. Hospitals and clinics now conduct over 100 millions scans each year worldwide to treat diseases and save lives.
Video examples
Barriers Are in Your...
a year ago after a brutal accident I lost my life and I chose to become Bionic I had to rethink my world my my identity my purpose my physicality all the pieces of my past endeavors they all
Video examples
Bilbo the Lifeguard Dog...
Bilbo thinks he's a lifeguard too but it's no accident that Bilbo such a capable swimmer Newfoundlands have always been salty old
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
Gary Numan
British Musician
Being a display pilot is probably the thing I've been most proud of in my life. Don't really fly anymore now though. I have three small children and as most of my friends were killed in different accidents, I realised that it was probably just a matter of time before I went that way.
Quote examples
Jacky Ickx
Belgian Driver
Fortunately, in the place where I went out, they had set up a little previously a fence which prevented me finally from smashing against trees. I went out with a broken leg only. A small price to be paid at the time for an accident of this kind.
Quote examples
David Lynch
American Director
Happy accidents are real gifts, and they can open the door to a future that didn't even exist. It's kind of nice sometimes to set up something to encourage or allow happy accidents to happen.
Quote examples
Felipe Massa
Brazilian Driver
The accident did not change my life, change the way I think, the way I work. For sure, it gave me even more experience. The biggest problem was my sight, I couldn't see with my left eye.
Quote examples
Friedrich Schiller
German Dramatist
There is no such thing as chance; and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny.
Quote examples
Lucas Neff
American Actor
It's ridiculous. My life's been a series of happy accidents.
Quote examples
Eileen Myles
American Poet
I tend to view my life as an accident, almost as a dream.
Quote examples
Vijay Krishna Acharya
Indian Director
My life has been a series of slightly happy accidents.
Quote examples
Billy Ray Cyrus
American Musician
I don't think there's any accidents in my life.
Quote examples
Jean Kennedy Smith
American Diplomat
I'm not in public life except by accident.
Quote examples
Gary Numan
British Musician
Being a display pilot is probably the thing I've been most proud of in my life. Don't really fly anymore now though. I have three small children and as most of my friends were killed in different accidents, I realised that it was probably just a matter of time before I went that way.
Quote examples
Jacky Ickx
Belgian Driver
Fortunately, in the place where I went out, they had set up a little previously a fence which prevented me finally from smashing against trees. I went out with a broken leg only. A small price to be paid at the time for an accident of this kind.
Quote examples
David Lynch
American Director
Happy accidents are real gifts, and they can open the door to a future that didn't even exist. It's kind of nice sometimes to set up something to encourage or allow happy accidents to happen.
Quote examples
Felipe Massa
Brazilian Driver
The accident did not change my life, change the way I think, the way I work. For sure, it gave me even more experience. The biggest problem was my sight, I couldn't see with my left eye.
Quote examples
Friedrich Schiller
German Dramatist
There is no such thing as chance; and what seem to us merest accident springs from the deepest source of destiny.
Quote examples
Lucas Neff
American Actor
It's ridiculous. My life's been a series of happy accidents.
Quote examples
Eileen Myles
American Poet
I tend to view my life as an accident, almost as a dream.
Quote examples
Vijay Krishna Acharya
Indian Director
My life has been a series of slightly happy accidents.
Quote examples
Billy Ray Cyrus
American Musician
I don't think there's any accidents in my life.
Quote examples
Jean Kennedy Smith
American Diplomat
I'm not in public life except by accident.
Example 1 of 10
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