accident
/ˈæksɪdənt/noun
1
- an unfortunate incident that happens unexpectedly and unintentionally, typically resulting in damage or injury意外事故; 不测事件：
he had an accident at the factory
他在工厂出了意外事故
mass noun if you are unable to work owing to accident or sickness.如果你由于意外或疾病而无法工作。
1.1
- a crash involving road or other vehicles, typically one that causes serious damage or injury交通事故, 车祸：
four people were killed in a road accident.
四个人在一次道路交通事故中死亡。
1.2
- euphemistic an incidence of incontinence, typically by a child or an animal〈婉〉（尤指儿童或动物的）大便（或小便）失禁。
2
- an event that happens by chance or that is without apparent or deliberate cause意外的事, 偶然的事：
the pregnancy was an accident
这次怀孕是个意外
it is no accident that Manchester has produced more than its fair share of professional comics.
曼彻斯特出了特别多的职业喜剧明星并非偶然。
2.1
- mass noun the working of fortune; chance运气; 机遇：
I opened it by accident
我是碰巧把它打开的
members belong to the House of Lords through hereditary right or accident of birth.
成员因世袭或出生的造化而成为上议院议员。
3
- Philosophy (in Aristotelian thought) a property of a thing which is not essential to its nature【哲】（亚里士多德思想中的）非本质属性。
短语
accident and emergency
- Brit. denoting a hospital department concerned with the provision of immediate treatment to people who are seriously injured in an accident or who are suddenly taken seriously ill〈英〉急诊室。
an accident waiting to happen
1
- informal a potentially disastrous situation, typically caused by negligent or faulty procedures〈非正式〉（尤指由于疏忽大意或程序错误而造成的）隐患。
1.1
- a person certain to cause trouble迟早会惹麻烦的人。
accidents will happen in the best regulated families
- proverb however careful you try to be, it is inevitable that some unfortunate or unforeseen events will occur〈谚〉家规再严, 事端难免：
problems like these should not occur, but accidents will happen.
这类问题不应出现, 但保不定会有意外的。
by accident
- unintentionally; by chance无意地, 碰巧：
she didn't get where she is today by accident.
她取得今天的地位并非偶然。
without accident
- safely安全地：
he was able to stop the train without accident.
他能安全地停住火车。
词源
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'.