jeopardy

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The Word of the Day for July 2 is:

jeopardy   \JEP-er-dee\   noun
    *1 : exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury : danger
     2 : the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a 
criminal offense 

Example sentence:
     Rather than risk placing his passengers in jeopardy, the pilot waited for 
the storm to pass before taking off.

Did you know?
     Centuries ago, the Old French term "jeu parti" didn't mean "danger" but 
rather "an alternative" or, literally, "a divided game." That French expression 
was used for anything that represented an alternative viewpoint or gave two 
opposing viewpoints. "Jeu parti" passed into Anglo-French as "juparti," and 
from there it was borrowed into Middle English and respelled "jeopardie." At 
first, the English word was used to refer to the risks associated with 
alternative moves in the game of chess. Soon, however, the term came to be used 
more generally in the "risk" or "danger" sense that it has today.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.





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