misadventure

Noun

misadventure (usually uncountable, plural misadventures)

1. (usually) Synonym of misfortune, bad luck or mishap, an instance of bad luck.
   • All under the sun are subject at times to misery and misadventure.
   • It is said that every life has its roses and thorns; there seemed, however, to have been a misadventure or mistake in Stephen's case, whereby somebody else had become possessed of his roses, and he had become possessed of the same somebody else's thorns in addition to his own.1854, Charles Dickens, “Stephen Blackpool”, in Hard Times. For These Times, London: Bradbury & Evans, […], →OCLC, 1st book (Sowing), page 75

   Synonyms:

   misfortune, bad luck or mishap

2. (usually) Synonym of mistake, a misguided and/or failed enterprise, a risky action that turns out badly.
   • yet another American military misadventure

   Synonyms:

   mistake

3. (usually) A fatal mishap, especially one voluntarily risked by the victim, bad luck causing an accidental death without attaching any liability to any other involved parties.
   • There were, however, 34 deaths among passengers in movement accidents, due mainly to misadventure and carelessness when entering and leaving trains in motion, falling off platforms and out of carriages, and opening and closing carriage doors.1960 December, “Talking of Trains: B.R. safety in 1959”, in Trains Illustrated, page 708
   • Stoke City have defended their safety record on Thursday after a coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure on a supporter who died after being struck by a rubbish bin.2011 April 7, “'Death by Misadventure' Verdict on Blackburn Fan who Died at Stoke”, in The Guardian, sourced from Press Association, →ISSN