a)if the stakes are high when you are trying to do something, you risklosing a lot or it will be dangerous if you fail 高风险,很大的危险性
Climbing is a dangerous sport and the stakes are high.
爬山是一项危险的运动,风险很大。
b)if the stakes are high when you are doing something such as playing a cardgame, you risk losing a lot of money 〔打扑克等的〕很高的赌注
We’re playing for high stakes here.
我们现在正赌得很大。
Examples from the Corpus
high stakes• Of course much depends on how the currenthigh stakesbudgetnegotiations play out.• He found Zacco lightly intoxicated, and playing dice for high stakes among a circle of friends.• You thought you'd play - for higher stakes than those he was offering.• But commander-in-chief Douglas MacArthur wanted to play for higher stakes.• I have relatively high stakes in conformity - I happen to have done fairly well out of it.• Especially when the players themselves happily accept the high stakes for which they play, gambling with their bodies.• It was the highest stakes ever.• The higher stakes have increased the temptation to overload the inflatablespeedboats, calledZodiacs.