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VENTURED.
se«rity of |ustice..we may rather venter to stretch the
Mercy of God. i7«5 De Foe I'oy. round IVcrld {iZ^o) 2$^
He would at anv time venture to send his two sons into the
mountains. 1774 Burke i>. -4 w/r. Ttix, Wks. II. 355 Why
do you venture to repeal the duties upon glass, paper, and
painters colours? x84oTHiRLWALLO>r^«lv. VII. 71 Archias
. .did not c«n venture tocrossovcr to the Arabian side of the
Persian Gulph. 1849 Macaulav //ist. Eng: v. I. 617 Thirty
times the fugitives ventured to look through the outer
but everywhere they found a sentinel on the alert.
hedge :
1887 BowEN I'iiT. EcL viii. 102 Over thy shoulders fling
thtin, nor venture behind thee to look !
b. Used with reference to the expression of
opinions, etc
x6io Holland Cojndfns Brit. i. 354 Some of these .were
.
by a new English Saxons name called Wiccij : but whereupon,
I dare scarse venture to guesse. 1660 Boyle Nc:v
Exp. Pkys.'Mfch. xviit. 134, I should not undertake to
answer so difficult a question, and sliould venter to say no
more, a 1687 Petty /*(?/. -4 W/A. (1690)95,1 humbly venture
tosay.all these things may be done, a 1774 Tucker /,/. Nni.
IV. III. 203 If you observe those people who pretend to be
fullest of doubts you wilt find them most fond of that positive
phrase, I will venture to say. 1803 Med. Jrnl. X. 297,
I now ventured to pronounce, that what I took for a bilious
fever was in reality the influenza. 1850 Grove Corr. Phys.
Forces (ed. 2) 98 The view which I would venture to suggest
is, tliat such vibrations are themselves electricity or magnetism.
1875 JowETT Plato (ed. 2) V. 244 The sound of the
voice which reaches and educates the soul, we have ventured
to term music
9. To venture on or upon : f a. To make trial of
(a person or animal) ; to dare to advance upon,
approach, or attack. Obs.
Tcxsso Everyman 484 in Pollard En^. Mir. Phys (1890)
87 Vet will I venter on her now. My Good Dedes, where
be you? 1591 Sylvester Du Bartas i. vi, The sly Rhinocerot
: Who. .doth venter Upon his Foe. 1592SHAK5. Ven.
4- Ad. 628 Being irefuU, on the lyon, he [the boar] will
venter \rinte enter]. 1631 A. Wilson The Swisseru. iii,
I'lc venture on the Beauty. (He kisses her.)
b. To attempt or undertake (something of a
dangerous or difficult nature) without assurance of
success; to accept or take the risk of (an action,
course, or proceeding) ; to dare to do, make, or
take (something), realizing that a risk is being
run, + Also with of.
X557CHEKE Let. to //ody in Hohy Couriyerii^Si) Z zv. If
the old dcnisoned wordes could . .ease this neede we wold
not boldly venture of vnknowen wordes. 1560 Daus tr.
Sleidane's Comm. 282 There is no daunger so great, that
they wyl refuse to venter vjpon for his preseruation. 1609
B. JoNSON Sit. Worn. i. it. Can he endure no noise and will
venter on a wife? 165a H. L'Estrange Amer. no Jcwes 7
To venter upon such another voyage as Noah's 1711
Addison 5/^c/. No. 121 Fi They never venture upon the
Fruit of any Tree,.. unless they observe that it is marked
with the Pecking of Birds. 1755 VoUNGC£«/a«ri. Wks. (1757)
IV. 123, 1 venture on it out of what I conceive to be charity,
greater siill ! 1781 Cowper Charity 6 A task I venture on,
impeird by thee. 1863 Kinclake Crimea I. 296 Not only
could they have noseniblancc of a public meeting, but they
could not even venture upon the slightest approach to..
Ifcsscr gatherings. 1876 ' L. Carroll ' Hunting Snark 11.
xviii, The third is his slowness in taking a jest. Should you
happen to venture on one,
10. To venture at, to make a venture or attempt
at ; to guess at.
1613 Shaks. Hen. Vlll, 11. i. 156 [It is] held for certaine
The King will venture at it. 1653 More Antiit. Ath. 11. xii.
$ 17 To view theasperities of the Moon through a Dioptrick-
Glass and venture at the Proportion of her Hills by their
shadows. 167X R. Bohun Wind 85 Wee might likewise
venture at a better account. 'ke, Dial, SorenesSf Chir. 27 b, It is
not to be marueiled, that sochc venterlynges and younglinges,
stomble so ofte at a strawe.
Vontnrer. Also 6 venterer, -our. [f, Ven-
TDBE V, Cf. Adventurer and It. veniuriere^
L One who ventures, in various senses ; an adventurer,
1530 Palscr. 284/2 Venturer on the lande, aduenturier.
Ibid., Venturer on the see, piratic. 1538 Tonstall Serm.
Palm Sund. (1823) 67 To make this realme a praye to al
venturers, al spoyfers,. .all rauenours of the worlde. a 1560
PiiAER /Eneidx. (1562) G gij b, Fortune is frend to venturers,
and cowards hateth most. e to any Venturer
abroad into publike view. 1^27 in Bailey (vol. II). 1841
Dickens Barn. Rudge xxviii, A visit to the gaming-table
not as a heated, anxious venturer, but [etc.]. 1863 Kinglake
Crimea I. 447 The next night Prince Louis Bonaparte
and his fellow venturers destroyed the French republic
187a O. W. Holmes Poet. Break/.-t. vii, No Arctic venturer
00 the waveless sea Feels the dread stillness [etc].
114
fig. i6a4 Donne Semi. (1649) II. xlix. 463 Was God a
venturer with me in my sinne?
trans/. i8a« Clare Vill. Minstr. II. 201 Airy leaves of
woodbine.. Are earliest venturers to unfold their buds.
fb. (See quot.) Obs~^
1599 Hakluvt Vp^. 1 1. 1. 129 The venturers with the sword
were 60. thousand in number [mar^., Gli Venturieri da
spaiia^ are a kind of venturing souldiers, who commonly are
wont to folow the army in hope of the spoile.j.
2. One who undertakes or shares in a commercial
or trading venture, esp, by sending goods or ships
beyond seas ; a merchant-venturer.
1557 Rkcorde Whetst. a ij. The gouerners, ConsuUes, and
the reste of the companie of venturers into Moscouia. 1593
R. Harvey Philad. 3 What traffique .should a venturer
haue [etc.]. 1621-3 Middleton & Rowley Chdngeliug i. i,
I meant to be a venturer in this voyage, 163a Massinger
City Matiam i. iii, You were, .the mam venturer In every
ship that launcheci forth. z66i Webster Curefor Cuckold
.
III. iii, This beginning May make us of small venturers to
become Hereafter wealthy merchants. 1844 Kinglake
Eothen vi. 88 The great Capitalist whose imperial sway is
more withering than despotism iiself, to the enterprises of
humble venturers.
fS. A strumpet or prostitute. Cf. Venture sb.
8. Obs.-'^
1607 Dekker & Webster Westiv. Hoe 11. ii, Mist. Just,
Had thy Circ^an Magick me transformd ._. that I were
turn'd common Venturer, I could not loue this old man.
tVe'lltnreship. Obs—^ In 6 venter-, [f.
Venture sb^ Venturousness.
1583 GoLDiNG Calvin on Dent. cxxx. 8oi
bee no ventershippe in this belialf.
For there must
Ve'Uturesome, a. Also 7, 9 diaU^ venter-,
[f. Vbntubb sb. or V. + -SOME.]
1. Of persons : Disposed or ready to venture or
take risks; bold, daring ; ^ Venturous a. i.
1677 Gilpin Demonol. i. xviii. 155 Even as courage whetted
on and enraged, makes a Man ventersome beyond the
due bounds of prudence, or safety. 1698 Hearne Duct.
Hist. (1714) I. 134 Does he not make his Hero more Rash
than Wise, and more Venturesome than Ambitious ? 1798
Edgeworth Pract. Educ. (1811) II. 395 We should even in
trifles avoid every circumstance which can tend to make
girls venturesome. 1863 Kinglake Crimea 1. 214 He was
most venturesome in his schemes for action. x886 C. E,
Pascoe Lond. of To-day xx'ix. (ed. 3) 262 Some persons..
are sufficiently venturesome to visit Billingsgate when at the
hish-tide of business.
2. Of the nature of, characterized by, or involving
risk; hazardous, risky.
x66i in Phmiix (1721) I. 84 These two last Opinions of
tlie F'ather, which seem the most bold and venturesome of
all the rest. 1721 Strype Eccl. Mem. I. Hi. 391 It must ever
redound unto the honour of his memory, that bold and
venturesome act of his. 1755 Johnson, Hazardable, venturesome;
liable to chance. 18^9 Dana Geol. ix. (1850) 451
From the sunny piain above, the streamlet made the venturesome
descent. 1885 Public Opin. 9 Jan. 28/2 General
Stewart has returned safely from his venturesome ride across
the desert.
Hence Venturesomely adv.^
ness.Ve'nturesome-
1727 Bailey (vol, II), *P'enturesomly, daringly. 188a Sat,
Rev. LIV. 597 To a butterfly also, may we venturesomely
compare this strange., tome of weird verse. 1883 Evang.
Mag. Aug. 343 The rocks toasted almost enough to blister
the hand that should venturesomely touch them. 1727
Bailev (vol. II), Fool Hardiness, Rashness, Temerity, a
Thoughtless *Venturesomness. 1740 Richardson Pamela
1. 236 She seem'd full of Wonder at my Resolution and
Venturesomeness. 1869 Routledge's Ev. Boy's Ann. 16
Did ever one hear of such venturesomeness? 1876 Geo.
Ei.iOT Dan. Der. iii, xxiv, A handsome girl, whose lively
venturesomeness of talk has the effect of wit.
t Venturine, Obs, [ad. It., Sp., or
turina^ = F. aventurine Aventurine.]
Pg. ven-
1. (See quots.)
The sen.se is not recorded for the Continental word, and
may be due to some mi-iunderstanding.
1704 Diet. Rust. (1726)8. v. ya^an. That it [sc. varnish]
may not dry before the Ventiirine or Gold-Wire reduced
to powder is sifted on it. Ibid., P'enturine or Aventurine,
is the most delicate and slender sort of Gold-wire, us'd by
Embroiderers, &c. 1799 G. Smith Laboratory II. 441 As
for the black and venturine, you must first lay a coat of
varnish on the wood [etc.].
2. Venturine-stone : (see quot. and cf. Aventurine
1).
1775 Ash, V'enturinestone, a kind of transparent stone
brought from Italy powdered with a kind of gold dust.
Ve'iituring, vbL sb. [f. Venture v."]
1, The action of the vb. ; spec, engagement or
paiticipation in a commercial venture or enterprise.
1548 Admiralty Crt. 17 Dec. Exam. 35 Having the licence
of the Lorde Protectors Grace to goe a venturing \i.e.
having a letter of marque]. 1562 J. Hevwood Prov. ^
^/"g^^- (1867) 139 Ventryng of mucli, May haue a lyttle.
i59S[? J'C.J^/c/V/dxlviii. (Grosart)27 Much good successe
men niisse for lack of ventring. 1631 in loth Rep. Hist.
MSS. Comm. App. V. 476 Theire daylie losses sustained in
the ventring of theire goods by sea. a 1695 Marq. of
Halifax IVks. (1912) 245 Wise Venturing is the most commendable
Part of human Prudence, 1706 Stephens Sp.
Diet. I, Arriesgamiento, hazarding or venturing.
t 2. Venturing pin, a disposition to use, or the
habit of employing, the phrase ' I venture to say '.
(Cf. Pin j*.i 15.) Obs.
1671 Eachard Obs. Answ. Cont. Clergy 23 Thus far I durst
venture to say, (seeing that we are yet upon the Venturing-
Pin) that [etc.]. 1680 Reft. Late Libel Curse-ye-Meroz 5,
I know him by the .same old, insipid, phlegmatic-style, the
same old Supposals, Dilemma's, and venturing-pins.
VENTUROUS.
Venturing,//''- a- '^o\s rare. [f. as prec]
Of a person : That ventures ; engaged ur engaging
in a venture ; venturous.
IS-. Vox populivox Dei 288 in E. P. I'. (Hazlitt) III. 278
For of one C ye have not ten, That now be marchantes "
ventring men. iS99 (see Venturer i bj. 1616 J. Lane
Conln. Sgr.'s T. vil. 536 Enginers, stronpe laborers and
ventringe pioners. 1747 HoosoN Miner's Diet. S iv b, In the
High and Low Peaks, where ventureing Miners get but
small Quantitys of Booss.
t b- Of an expression : Bold, daring. Obs.~^
i6s» N. CutvEBWEL Lt. Nature xi. (1661) 79 The Sloicks
. . have indeed some doting, and venturing Expressions.
Hence Vont-aringly adv.
' 1884 Fawcett Rutherford i, They were very nice people
..', Rutherford proceeded, somewhat venturingly. 1803
Sunday Mag. July 465/1 He bent down and touched the
child's cheeks venturingly with a hard, horny finger-tip.
Venturous (ve^ntiiiras, ve-ntjaras), a. Also
/3. 6-7 venterous. 7. 6 ventrus, 6-7 ventrous,
6-8 vent'rous. [Aphetic f. of Adybntlkoub a.
alter Ventube sb. and v^
1. Of persons, etc. : Disposed to venture upon
or undertake something ol a dangerous or risky
nature ; willing to take risks or incur danger
bold, daring, or enterprising in action or opinion ;
adventurous, venturesome.
or with to and inf.
Also const, at, in, of,
tt. 1576 Fleming Fanopl. Epiit. T iii b, I waxed venturous,
and like a confident fellowe amended my pase. 1581 Pkttie
tr. Gvazzo's Civ. Conv. n. (1586) 63 b, 1 count those, which
wil vndertake to speake of eiierie matter, rather venturous
than learned. 1675 tr. CamdetCs Hist. Etiz. ill. (ed. 3) 328
Skenk a Frieslander and Sir Roger Williams a Welshman,
two venturous men. 1694 Kettlewell Comf. Penitent 21
A most presumptuously venturous and daring Sinner. 1719
De Foe Crusoe l. (Globe) no But 1 had no need to be ven-
turous ;
275 Every corner Among these rocks, hnd every hollow
place That venturous foot could reach. 1831 ScOTT Ct. Rcb.
li, I know I am but too apt to be venturous in action. 1853
C. BuONTE Villette xi. The directress was very prudent,
but she could also be very venturous.
p. 1578 T. N. Ir. Conq. W. India Pref. p. ii. It is nowe
approoved by the venterous travellour . . Martin Frobisher.
•579 LvLY Euphues (Arb.) 94 Thou art not. .more venterous
to challenge the combatte, then I valiant to aunswere the
quarrcli, i6oi Holland Pliny II. 156 Some bold and venterous
Empiricke, who made great boast of his decpe skill.
1619 H. Burton Truth's Tri.\oi Taking vpon him (as he
is very venterous) to answer an argument, a 1660 Contemp.
Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archajol. Soc.) I. 256 The noble and venterous
sparke, Phelim mc Tuhill Oneylle.
y. 1596 Nashe Saffron WaldtnTi His ventrous manhood
and valure. 1601 Weever Miir. Mart. Cvb, All the
Armie, ventrous, valorous, bold. 164a D. Rogers Naaman
249 Let a besieger of a City be too ventrous, and what pcriU
ensueth. 1667 Milton P. L. 11. 205 Those who at the
for 1 had no Want of Food. 1800 Wokdsw. Brothers
Spear are bold And vent'rous. 1715 Pope Odyss. in. 89
Savage Pirates seek thro' seas unknown '1 he lives of ethers,
vent'rous of their own. 1747 Francis tr. Horace, Odes
(ed. 2) 1. xxxi. 16 The golden Goblet let Him drain. Who
vent'rous plows th' Atlantic Main.
b. absol. with the.
1583 Melbancke PhilotimusYlx), And nowe shalt thou
trie It, that fortune most vsually fauoures the venterous'.
1589 Nashe Anat. Aisurd. Wks. (Grosart) I. 35 The acts
of the ventrou.s, and the praise of the vertuous.
C. Of things.
1565 Cooper Thesaurus, Aliesaudax, a venterous shippe.
1598 Sylvester Dh Bartas 11. i. Eden 27 But (sacred Pilot)
tliou canst safely steer My vent'rous Pinnasse to her wished
Peer. 1634 Bp. Reynolds Shieldes 0/ Eaith li6j6) 41
Remember a Shield is a venturous weapon, a kind of surctie,
which.. receives the injuries which were intended to another.
1676 Shadwell Virtuoso 1. i, Those venturous blossoms,
whose over-hasty obedience to the early spring does
anticipate the proper season. 170S Watts in Soththy's
Sate Cat. 30 July (1902) 49 Accept of this first labor of the
press, this ventrous Essay of Poesie in so Nice and_ censorious
an Age. 1764 Goldsm. Trav. 187 He. .drives his
venturous plough-share to the steep. 1804 Charlotte
Smith Conversations, etc. 1. 151 The first bud whose venturous
head The Winter's lingering tempest braves. 1861
Calverlev Verses 4- Transl. (ed. 2) 28 He who erst with
venturous tliuinb Drew from its pie-y lair the solitary plum.
2. Of the nature of a venture ; marked or charac-
terized by, attended with, involving, hazard or risk
hazardous, risky.
1570 FoxeW. if M. (ed. 2)1. 114/1 Desperation, ..which IS
wont in ventrous affaires to do much. 1598 Bakret Theor.
Warrcs ill. ii. 75 It is venturous to set ones fortune vpon
the brunt of one sole battell. 1670 Eachard Cont. Clergy
22 The meer venturous and inconsiderate determining of
youths to the profession of learning. 1709 PmoR Carni.
Sec. 75 Bloody Wreaths in vent'rous Battels won. 1783
Crabbe Village I. 117 The tost ves^el.. Which to their coast
difects its vent'rous way. 1840 F. D. Bennett II- haliug
Voy. II. 186 Now but few .seas are entirely free from the
visits of ships occupied in this venturous service. iKi
7rnl. R. Agric. Soc. XXIII. 277 Twenty years ago the
manufacture and sale of artificial manures partook more ol
the character of a venturous speculation.
b. Marked by, full of, adventures.
1813 ScoTT Rokeliy iii. ii, And well his venturous life had
proved The lessons that his childhood loved.
3. Arising from, indicative of, a readiness to
encounter hazard or risk ; l)old, daring.
1584 jl/i'rn Mag. Epist., If their forfeats were wel knowen,
1 fere, thei do acts as ventrus. 1587 Turberv. Trag. Tales
74 b, I thinke him such a one as dares Such ventrous parts
to play. i6m Bacon Henry VII, 51 Meane men, who would
make it their Master-piece of Credite and Fauour, to giue
Venturous Counsels, a i6«i Fuller Worthies ili. (1662) 43