Oxford Essential Dictionary
adventure
noun
something exciting that you do or that happens to you:
She wrote a book about her adventures in Africa.
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
adventure
ad‧ven‧ture /ədˈventʃə $ -ər/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: aventure, from Latin advenire 'to arrive', from ad- 'to' + venire 'to come']
1. an exciting experience in which dangerous or unusual things happen:
a great adventure
Ahab’s adventures at sea
an adventure story
2. sense/spirit of adventure willingness to try new things, take risks etc:
Come on – where’s your sense of adventure?
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary
adventure
ad·ven·ture [adventure adventures adventured adventuring] [ədˈventʃə(r)] [ədˈventʃər] noun
1. countable an unusual, exciting or dangerous experience, journey or series of events
• her adventures travelling in Africa
• When you're a child, life is one big adventure.
• adventure stories
• Popper described science as the greatest adventure in the world.
2. uncountable excitement and the willingness to take risks, try new ideas, etc
• a sense/spirit of adventure
• I set out across the country looking for adventure.
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French aventure (noun), aventurer (verb), based on Latin adventurus ‘about to happen’, from advenire ‘arrive’, from ad- ‘to’ + venire ‘come’.
Example Bank:
• I had some hair-raising adventures when I was backpacking.
• Our trip to London was quite an adventure for the children.
• Perhaps the army offered adventure, a chance to travel.
• Perhaps the war offered adventure, travel, a use for his gifts.
• The journey began cheerfully with a sense of adventure.
• Those of you looking for adventure can shoot the rapids.
• We had a little adventure yesterday.
• hair-raising adventure films
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition
adventure / ədˈven.tʃə r / / -tʃɚ / noun [ C or U ]
A2 an unusual, exciting, and possibly dangerous activity, such as a trip or experience, or the excitement produced by such an activity:
She had some exciting adventures in Egypt.
We got lost on the Metro - it was quite an adventure.
Sam won't come - he's got no sense of adventure (= he does not enjoy dangerous or exciting situations) .
Word partners for adventure
have an adventure • a big / exciting / great adventure • be looking for adventure • quite an adventure • an adventure story
© Cambridge University Press 2013
Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary
adventure
[ædve̱ntʃə(r)]
adventures, adventuring, adventured
1) N-COUNT If someone has an adventure, they become involved in an unusual, exciting, and rather dangerous journey or series of events.
I set off for a new adventure in the United States on the first day of the new year.
2) N-UNCOUNT Adventure is excitement and willingness to do new, unusual, or rather dangerous things.
Their cultural backgrounds gave them a spirit of adventure.
...a feeling of adventure and excitement.
3) VERB If you adventure somewhere, you go somewhere new, unusual, and exciting. [WRITTEN]
[V prep/adv] The group has adventured as far as the Austrian alps.
Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary
adventure
ad·ven·ture /ədˈvɛnʧɚ/ noun, pl -tures
1 [count] : an exciting or dangerous experience
• The field trip was an adventure for the students.
• He told us about his camping adventures.
- often used before another noun
• an adventure story/novel
2 [noncount] : danger or excitement
• He has a strong spirit/sense of adventure. [=he enjoys doing dangerous and exciting things]
• They were looking for adventure.