gam·ble1 /ˈɡæmbəl/ ●●○ verb [intransitiveI, transitiveT] → gambol1 DGGto risk money or possessions on the result of something such as a card game or a race, when you do not know for certain what the result will be 赌博 → bet Their religion forbids them to drink or gamble. 他们的宗教禁止饮酒和赌博。
gamble on Jack loves gambling on the horses. 杰克喜欢赌马。
2 RISKto do something that involves a lot of risk, and that will not succeed unless things happen the way you would like them to 投机,冒险,碰运气gamble on They’re gambling on Johnson being fit for Saturday’s game. 他们把赌注押在约翰逊身上,指望星期六的比赛他能够出场。
gamble something on something Potter gambled everything on his new play being a hit. 波特把一切都押在他的新戏上,希望它卖座。
gamble that She was gambling that he wouldn’t read it too carefully. 她抱着侥幸的心理,觉得他不会看得太仔细。
gamble with We can’t relax our safety standards – we’d be gambling with people’s lives. 我们不能放松安全标准——否则就是拿人的生命来冒险。
3 gamble something ↔ away phrasal verbphr v DGGto lose the whole of an amount of money by gambling 赌掉,赌光 Nielsen gambled his inheritance away. 尼尔森把继承的遗产都赌光了。
gamble away• He's the man who built this house then gambled it away.
—gambler noun [countableC] Stevens was a compulsive gambler. 史蒂文斯是一个嗜赌成癖的家伙。
n THESAURUSgamble to try to win money, for example by playing cards or guessing which horse will win a raceEddie loved to gamble, and would spend most evenings at the roulette table.
A growing number of people are gambling online.
bet/have a bet to try to win money by guessing who will win a race or gameHe liked to smoke, drink, and bet on horses.
Jerry bet $1000 on the game.
We had a bet on the Irish team to win.
put £10/$20 etc on something to gamble £10, $20 etc on the horse or team that you think will win a race or competitionI put $100 on the Cowboys to win.
have a flutter British EnglishBrE informal to gamble a small amount of money, especially on the result of a horse race – used especially when someone does not gamble very oftenI’m not a heavy gambler, but I like to have a flutter from time to time.
I had a little flutter on the Grand National and won £5.
play for money to gamble money on the result of a game which you are playing‘Are we playing for money here, gentlemen?’ he said as he approached the pool table.
You’re allowed to play cards in the bar, but not for money.
back to gamble money on a particular horse, team etc that you think will win a race or competitionWhen I back a horse, it always seems to finish second.