jeopardy
noun
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We'll start with the answer and you provide the question: A word meaning "danger" that inspired the title of a popular game show. Got it? If you buzzed in "what is jeopardy?" you are correct! Today’s word dates back to at least the 1300s, but its Middle English form can make it hard to spot: it appears in the phrase "in jupartie" with a meaning very much akin to the word's meaning in the modern phrase "in jeopardy"—that is, "in danger." The spellings of what we now render only as jeopardy were formerly myriad. The Oxford English Dictionary reports that between the late 14th and mid-17th centuries the word was spelled in a great variety of ways, among them ieupardyes (the spelling Chaucer used in The Canterbury Tales), iupertie, iupartye, ieoperdis, and juperti. Indeed, like the eponymous quiz show Jeopardy!, today’s word has a long history; we’d wager it has a long future, too.
Synonyms
Examples of jeopardy in a Sentence
Madeleine Parrish, The Arizona Republic, 8 Oct. 2024
But in Texas, that would have put them in legal jeopardy.
—Stefan Becket, CBS News, 2 Oct. 2024
But this is emblematic of the extraordinary jeopardy Israel now finds itself in.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN, 1 Oct. 2024
It’s not been an easy ride for Taylor, with Covid creating considerable career jeopardy after a promising start.
—James Morris, Forbes, 7 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for jeopardy 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jeopardy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Jeopardy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jeopardy. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
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jeopardy
noun
Legal Definition
jeopardy
noun
Note: Jeopardy attaches, or comes into effect for double jeopardy purposes, when a jury is sworn in or, in a non-jury trial, when the judge begins to hear evidence. The Fifth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution forbids double jeopardy for the same offense, and this applies whether the first trial ends in acquittal, conviction, or a mistrial. If a mistrial occurs due to a manifest necessity or if a defendant appeals a conviction, however, the rule against double jeopardy does not apply. The issue of manifest necessity is determined by the trial judge and, if necessary, by an appeals court.
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