dangerous

Etymology

From Middle English dangerous (“difficult, severe, domineering, arrogant, fraught with danger”), daungerous, from Anglo-Norman, from Old French dangereus (“threatening, difficult”), from dangier. Equivalent to danger +‎ -ous.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ˈdeɪnʒ(ə)ɹəs/, /ˈdeɪnd͡ʒ(ə)ɹəs/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˈdeɪnd͡ʒəɹəs/, /ˈdeɪnd͡ʒɚəs/, /ˈdeɪnd͡ʒɚs/, /ˈdeɪnʒɹəs/

• Audio (UK)

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• Audio (US)

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• Hyphenation: dan‧ger‧ous

Adjective

dangerous (comparative more dangerous, superlative most dangerous)

1. Full of danger.

   Railway crossings without gates are highly dangerous.

   • 1915, Emerson Hough, The Purchase Price, chapterI:

     “[…] it is not fair of you to bring against mankind double weapons ! Dangerous enough you are as woman alone, without bringing to your aid those gifts of mind suited to problems which men have been accustomed to arrogate to themselves.”

2. Causing danger; ready to do harm or injury.
   • John Milton (1608-1674)

     If they incline to think you dangerous / To less than gods

3. (colloquial, dated) In a condition of danger, as from illness; threatened with death.
4. (obsolete) Hard to suit; difficult to please.
   • Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400)

     My wages ben full strait, and eke full small; / My lord to me is hard and dangerous.

5. (obsolete) Reserved; not affable.
   • Geoffrey Chaucer (c.1343-1400)

     Of his speech dangerous

Anagrams

• nose guard, noseguard