[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/accident/)

[dictionaries](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) / [English](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/) / [A](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/a/) / accident

# accident

noun (an accident, accidents)

«accident» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. An accident is something bad that happens by chance, often causing harm or damage, like a car crash or a fall. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#m1)
2. An accident is anything that happens without anyone planning it. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#m2)
3. «By accident» means not on purpose. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#m3)

### In the lessons

In safety lessons, most accidents at home happen from falls, burns, cuts and poisoning, and many can be prevented; in an accident, stay calm, get an adult and call the emergency number if someone is badly hurt. In everyday life and friendship, saying «it was an accident» and «sorry» matters; an accident is not the same as doing something on purpose. Phrases: by accident, car accident, have an accident, accident-prone, a happy accident.

### Examples

- There was an accident on the motorway. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x1)
- I broke the cup by accident. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x2)
- Sorry, it was an accident! [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x3)
- Most accidents happen at home. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x4)
- He had a bike accident and hurt his arm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x5)
- Tell an adult straight away if there is an accident. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x6)
- Penicillin was discovered by a happy accident. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x7)
- Little children sometimes have toilet accidents. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x8)
- I know how easily accidents happen. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/#x9)

### Note

Countable: an accident (use «an», because it starts with a vowel sound). «By accident» = «accidentally» = not on purpose; opposite: «on purpose» or «deliberately». Spelled with cc: ac-ci-dent.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «accident» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/A/accident/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«accident» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/accident.html) on Mova free.