Adventure (from Latinres adventura, a thing about to
happen), chance, and especially chance of danger; so a hazardous
enterprise or remarkable incident. Thus an adventurer,
from meaning one who takes part in some speculative course
of action, came to mean one who lived by his wits and a
person of no character. The word is also used in certain
restricted legal connexions. Joint adventure, for instance,
may be distinguished from partnership. A bill of adventure in maritime law (now apparently obsolete)
is a writing signed by the shipmaster declaring that goods
shipped in his name really belong to another, to whom he is
responsible. The bill of gross adventure in French maritime
law is an instrument making a loan on maritime security.
