Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Venture

Venture (?; 135) , noun

[Aphetic form of Old English aventure. See Adventure.]

1.
An undertaking of chance or danger; the risking of something upon an event which can not be foreseen with certainty; a hazard; a risk; a speculation.
I, in this venture, double gains pursue. — Dryden
2.
An event that is not, or can not be, foreseen; an accident; chance; hap; contingency; luck. — Bacon
3.
The thing put to hazard; a stake; a risk; especially, something sent to sea in trade.
My ventures are not in one bottom trusted. — Shakespeare
A certain man drew a bow at a venture. — 1 Kings xxii. 34
A bargain at a venture made. — Hudibras
Collocations (1)
At a venture , at hazard; without seeing the end or mark; without foreseeing the issue; at random.

The phrase at a venture was originally at aventure, that is, at adventure.

Venture , intransitive verb

1.
To hazard one's self; to have the courage or presumption to do, undertake, or say something; to dare. — Bunyan
2.
To make a venture; to run a hazard or risk; to take the chances.
Who freights a ship to venture on the seas. — J. Dryden, Jr
Collocations (1)
To venture at or To venture on or To venture upon , to dare to engage in; to attempt without any certainty of success; as, it is rash to venture upon such a project. When I venture at the comic style. — Waller

Venture , transitive verb

1.
To expose to hazard; to risk; to hazard; as, to venture one's person in a balloon.
I am afraid; and yet I'll venture it. — Shakespeare
2.
To put or send on a venture or chance; as, to venture a horse to the West Indies.
3.
To confide in; to rely on; to trust. [Rare]
A man would be well enough pleased to buy silks of one whom he would not venture to feel his pulse. — Addison