The meaning of "dangerous"

[ritaxis]

When you say something is dangerous
do you mean

A.there is a very high likelihood of something bad happening

or

B.there is any possibility of something extremely -- lethally or near-lethally -- bad happening

or

C. there is a very high likelihood of something very very bad happening?

D. there is either a high likelihood of something bad happening, or any likelihood of something very bad happening or both?


(C is the most exclusive as it requires both a high probability and high stakes: D is the least exclusive as it allows high probability, high stakes or both)

I ask because I was reading a thing and I wasn't sure what I would have meant by saying something about that thing was dangerous, or whether I ought to use the word at all. I am being vague because in the eight and a half minutes it took me to put the question together I have forgotten what I was reading.

Comments

[ocotillo-dawn.livejournal.com]

For me, it implies high stakes more than high probability. I got lost in the wording of each choice, but I get the question.

I wouldn't say it is 'dangerous' to shake hands with someone with a cold (the probability of *dying* from a cold being fairly low).

Probability does play a role though. I wouldn't say it is dangerous to live on the east coast (U.S.) even though there is a (very) small chance that a tsunami could hit us.

In short, it is some combination of the two, with stakes having a greater weight than probability. How much greater likely depends on a person's personal neuroses.