a. Obs. Forms: see JEOPARDY; also 5 jowpertous. [f. JEOPARD-Y + -OUS: cf. JEOPARDIOUS.]
1. Fraught with risk or danger; hazardous, risky, perilous, dangerous.
1451. Paston Lett., I. 212. It had be right jowpertous and ferefull.
1474. Sir J. Paston, in P. Lett., III. 115. It had been jopertous to leve moche plate wyth hyr.
1489. Act 4 Hen. VII., c. 3 § 1. To the Iubardouse abydyng of his moost noble persone.
1502. Hen. VII., in Ellis, Orig. Lett., Ser. I. I. 54. Shippes sailyng into so jeoperdous and ferre parties.
1545. Raynold, Byrth Mankynde, II. iii. This is a very ieopardous labour.
1584. Cogan, Haven Health, clxxx. (1636), 165. Lamprayes … bee … lesse jeopardous [than eels].
a. 1661. Fuller, Worthies, Cornwall (1662), 202. This his Goodly, Valiant, and Jeopardous enterprise (as it is termed).
2. Addicted to risks; venturesome, daring.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. ccxxx. 261. Guy,… as a lustye and iuperdous Knyght, put hymselfe in aduenture dyuerse wayes and tymes.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s T. (1613), 121. I will not bee so vnweaponed ieopardous, to ouerthrow both thy cause and my credite at once.
Hence † Jeopardously adv.; † Jeopardousness.
1494. Fabyan, Chron., VII. 554. The erle … fledde, and so lepynge ieopardously into the howse of an olde woman, escapyd.
1523. Ld. Berners, Froiss., I. ccclviii. 581. He … aduentured hymselfe oftentymes ryght ieoperdously.
1552. Huloet, Ieopardouslye, periculose.
1730–6. Bailey (folio), Jeopardousness, Hazardousness.
