accident
noun
[ ˈaksɪd(ə)nt ]
• an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury.
• "he had an accident at the factory"
Similar:
mishap,
misfortune,
misadventure,
mischance,
unfortunate incident,
injury,
disaster,
tragedy,
catastrophe,
contretemps,
calamity,
blow,
trouble,
problem,
difficulty,
casualty,
• an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause.
• "the pregnancy was an accident"
Similar:
chance,
mere chance,
coincidence,
twist of fate,
freak,
hazard,
piece of good fortune,
(bit of) luck,
(bit of) good luck,
fluke,
happy chance,
serendipity,
fate,
fortuity,
fortune,
providence,
happenstance,
• (in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature.
Origin:
late Middle English (in the general sense ‘an event’): via Old French from Latin accident- ‘happening’, from the verb accidere, from ad- ‘towards, to’ + cadere ‘to fall’.
by accident
• unintentionally; by chance.
• "she didn't get where she is today by accident"
