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Webster 1913 Edition

Venture

Ven′ture

(?; 135)
,
Noun.
[Aphetic form of OE.
aventure
. See
Adventure
.]
1.
An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard; a risk; a speculation.
I, in this
venture
, double gains pursue.
Dryden.
2.
An event that is not, or can not be, foreseen; an accident; chance; hap; contingency; luck.
Bacon.
3.
The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade.
My
ventures
are not in one bottom trusted.
Shakespeare
At a venture
,
at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; without foreseeing the issue; at random.
A certain man drew a bow
at a venture
.
1 Kings xxii. 34.
A bargain
at a venture
made.
Hudibras.
☞ The phrase at a venture was originally at aventure, that is, at adventure.

Ven′ture

,
Verb.
I.
[
imp. & p. p.
Ventured
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Venturing
.]
1.
To hazard one’s self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare.
Bunyan.
2.
To make a venture; to run a hazard or risk; to take the chances.
Who freights a ship to
venture
on the seas.
J. Dryden, Jr.
To venture at
, or
To venture on
or
To venture upon
,
to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success;
as, it is rash
to venture upon
such a project
.
“When I venture at the comic style.”
Waller.

Ven′ture

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To expose to hazard; to risk; to hazard;
as, to
venture
one's person in a balloon
.
I am afraid; and yet I'll
venture
it.
Shakespeare
2.
To put or send on a venture or chance;
as, to
venture
a horse to the West Indies
.
3.
To confide in; to rely on; to trust.
[R.]
A man would be well enough pleased to buy silks of one whom he would not
venture
to feel his pulse.
Addison.

Webster 1828 Edition

Venture

VEN'TURE

,
Noun.
[L. venio, ventus, venturus, to come.]
1.
A hazard; an undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which cannot be foreseen with tolerable certainty.
I, in this venture, double gains pursue.
2.
Chance; hap; contingency; luck; an event that is not or cannot be foreseen.
3.
The thing put to hazard; particularly, something sent to sea in trade.
My ventures are not in one bottom trusted.
At a venture, at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; or without foreseeing the issue.
A bargain at a venture made.
A certain man drew a bow at a venture. 1Kings 22.

VEN'TURE

, v.i.
1.
To dare; to have courage or presumption to do, undertake or say. A man ventures to mount a ladder; he ventures into battle; he ventures to assert things which he does not know.
2.
To run a hazard or risk.
Who freights a ship to venture on the seas.
To venture at,
To venture on or upon, To dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success. It is rash to venture upon such a project.
And when I venture at the comic style.

VEN'TURE

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To expose to hazard; to risk; as, to venture one's person in a balloon.
2.
To put or send on a venture or chance; as, to venture a horse to the West Indies.

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