Definition of “accident” - English Dictionary

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“accident” in English

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accidentnoun [ C ]

uk ​ /ˈæk.sɪ.dənt/ us ​ /ˈæk.sə.dənt/

A2 something bad that happens that is not expected or intended and that often damages something or injures someone:

Josh had an accident and spilled water all over his work.
She was injured in a car/road accident (= when one car hit another).
by accident

B1 without intending to, or without being intended:

I deleted the file by accident.
I found her letter by accident as I was looking through my files.

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Thesaurus: synonyms and related words

Idiom(s)

accidents will happen
an accident waiting to happen
have an accident
more by accident than design

(Definition of “accident” from the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus © Cambridge University Press)

“accident” in American English

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accidentnoun [ C ]

us ​ /ˈæk·sə·dənt, -ˌdent/

accident noun [ C ] (INJURY)

› an event not intended by anyone but which has the result of injuring someone or damaging something:

He was killed in an automobile accident at the age of 21.

accident noun [ C ] (EVENT NOT PLANNED)

› something that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally:

It’s no accident that (= There are reasons that explain why) she was chosen to be a member of the most powerful committee in Congress.
accidental
adjective us ​ /ˌæk·səˈdent·əl/

›

The fire began shortly after 1:30 a.m. and appears to have been accidental.
accidentally
adverb us ​ /ˌæk·səˈdent·əl·i/

›

He accidentally left the water running and flooded a bathroom floor in the hotel.

Idiom(s)

by accident

(Definition of “accident” from the Cambridge Academic Content Dictionary © Cambridge University Press)

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