to take a gamble
7
4.2
- phrasal verb
:
apostar
- Sometimes you have to take a gamble if you want to achieve big goals in life.
- willing to take a gamble
- took a gamble and moved
- then took a gamble
So I went back and I decided to take a gamble.
- So I went back and I decided to take a gamble.
- And I think Chamberlain took a gamble.
- I know we took a gamble by dating, but our friendship means more to me than losing you.
- So just as a risk averse person will take a gamble, won't take a gamble, that's fair.
- It's almost like you take a gamble when you have a kid, but this stuff happens from the nurturing.
Examples
-
Sometimes you have to take a gamble and just guess.
Blog text (26) -
With the sales of electric cars remaining low, BMW appears to be taking a gamble.
Blog text (19) -
You can't fault the man for taking a gamble.
-
You're taking a gamble.
-
Deciding to take a gamble, he packed up and airfreighted much of his stock to New York City, bought a round-trip ticket (as required for a six-month business visitor's visa), and set out to make his fortune.
Academic text (2002) -
Investing in a new business idea can be risky, but many entrepreneurs choose to take a gamble on their dreams.
-
In order to win the championship, they decided to take a gamble and play their most aggressive strategy.
Synonyms
568
1.5
To risk money on the result of an event
495
4.2
Risk money by betting to try to win more
96
3.7
To risk money guessing which result will happen
91
3.3
To do something risky hoping for a good result
64
4.0
To take a risk hoping for a good result
56
3.2
Do things that might be dangerous to get something important
56
5.3
To risk money or something valuable on the result of an event
36
3.8
Do something risky hoping to do well
20
4.4
To risk money on the result of a game or event
18
4.5
To risk doing something hoping for a good result
11
5.7
Make a brave decision even when it feels risky
10
7.0
To invest money in stocks or property taking a risk to make money quickly
4
7.6
To bet money on the result of a sports event
4
4.2
Try a risky action hoping it will work
2
5.1
To risk something important to try to gain something
2
3.0
To do something that might lead to harm or loss
1
8.5
To try something risky when the result is not certain
Take a chance to get a reward
Antonyms
How Risky
Surface Forms
Morphology
take + a + gamble
The meaning is directly derivable from the parts: 'gamble' denotes a risky action and 'take' means to undertake or accept, so 'take a gamble' straightforwardly means to undertake a risky action. This follows a common compositional pattern (compare 'take a risk') found across many languages, so a B1 learner who knows the constituents will likely understand it.
Etymology
Take a gamble comes from the image of a person putting money on a game and making a bet or gamble in the hope of a win. So today, to take a gamble means to do something that involves 'risk' in the hope of a good result.