accidents

Noun

accident (countable and uncountable, plural accidents)

1. An unexpected event with negative consequences occurring without the intention of the one suffering the consequences, and (in the strict sense) not directly caused by humans.
   • to die by an accident such as an act of God
   1. casus; such unforeseen, extraordinary, extraneous interference as is out of the range of ordinary calculation.
2. A collision or crash of a vehicle, aircraft, or other form of transportation that causes damage to the transportation involved; and sometimes injury or death to the transportation's occupants or bystanders in close proximity. (but see Usage notes)
   • There was a huge accident on I5 involving 15 automobiles.
3. Any chance event.
   • He also objects to the idea of women arising by an accident of nature, preferring the notion that they came about as a 'result of some strong mental impression', and so 'the sex of the progeny would have been settled by the decision of the progenitor'.2008, Celia Deane-Drummond, The Ethics of Nature, page 206
4. (uncountable) Chance; random chance.
   • c.1861-1863, Richard Chevenix Trench, in 1888, Letters and memorials, Volume 1,
     Thou cam'st not to thy place by accident, / It is the very place God meant for thee; […]

   Synonyms:

   fortune

5. Any property, fact, or relation that is the result of chance or is nonessential or nonsubstantive.
   • Beauty is an accident.

   Synonyms:

   accidens

See all 18 meanings of accident