Able or likely to cause harm, injury, or damage.
From Old French 'dangereus' meaning 'difficult, unsafe, arrogant', from 'dangier' meaning 'power, control'. It originally suggested being in someone’s power, then shifted to the risk of harm.
Something dangerous doesn’t have to hurt you—it just has the potential. The word hides an old idea of being under someone else’s power, reminding us that risk often comes from losing control.
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