Webster's English Dictionary

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accident

ac.ci.dent \'ak-s*d-*nt, -s*-.dent\ n [ME, fr. MF, fr. L accident-, 
   accidens nonessential quality, chance], fr. prp. of accidere to happen, fr. 
   ad- + cadere to fall - more at CHANCE 1a: an event occurring by chance or 
   from unknown causes  1b: lack of intention or necessity : CHANCE  1c: an 
   unforeseen or unplanned event  2a: an unfortunate event resulting from 
   carelessness, unawareness, ignorance, or unavoidable causes 2b: an 
   unexpected happening causing loss or injury which is not due to any fault 
   or misconduct on the part of the person injured but from the consequences 
   of which he may be entitled to some legal relief 3: a nonessential property 
   of an entity or circumstance  4: an irregularity of a surface (as of the 
   moon)