incident

Definition

  • noun: an unexpected and usually unpleasant thing that happens
  • noun: something dependent on or subordinate to something else of greater or principal importance
  • synonyms: casual, fortuitous, befalling

Examples

  • The suspects were arrested 'without incident'. [=without any unexpected trouble]

  • Aside from a few isolated 'incidents', the crowd was well-behaved.

  • We just want to put that embarrassing 'incident' behind us.

Movie quotes

  • (..) behind the police outpost provoked an accident on the road. No link has been established. No mentioning of the caliber pistol Nothing. Two different incidents, that's all. They're covering everything. Exactly. This way we can work at least. - Exactly. - What does it mean? (..)
    1981 To Kill a Cop
  • (..) about everything. They said you have clinched a deal. They also said that the police hopes to find you in the shortest time. Did the ballistic examination establish a link between the two incidents? - No, it was a witness. - A witness? A young man of good family driving red Monte Carlo. Cognitive. (..)
    1981 To Kill a Cop