accident
noun
unexpected event that causes damage/injury
ADJ. dreadful, horrific, major, nasty, serious, terrible, tragic, unfortunate | fatal a fatal road accident| minor, slight | freak Their boat sank in a freak accident.| near (= that nearly happens, but does not) | hit-and-run | aircraft, canoeing, car, climbing, flying, industrial, motor, nuclear, road, traffic, etc.
VERB + ACCIDENT be involved in, have, meet with She met with an accident while on holiday in Spain.| cause | prevent | survive
ACCIDENT + VERB happen, occur, take place
ACCIDENT + NOUN prevention | rates, statistics
PREP. in an/the ~
PHRASES an accident involving He was badly hurt in an accident involving two cars and a lorry.| the scene of the accident The ambulance took only six minutes to reach the scene of the accident.
sth not planned in advance
ADJ. pure, sheer By pure accident he had come across the very man who could solve the mystery.
PREP. by ~ We met by accident at the airport.
PHRASES be no accident that … It is no accident that men fill most of the top jobs.| by accident or design It happened, whether by accident or design, that Steve and I were the last two people to leave.
