incident
gb/ˈɪnsɪdənt/ us/ˈɪnsɪdənt/
B1
English
~ 1900
incidens, eset, beeső
NOUN
B1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone/something] is involved in an incident
The police are investigating a violent incident that took place downtown.
A rendőrség egy erőszakos incidenst vizsgál, amely a belvárosban történt.
There was a minor incident at the school yesterday.
Tegnap egy kisebb incidens történt az iskolában.
The incident caused delays for hundreds of commuters.
She reported the incident to her supervisor immediately.
The airline apologized for the incident on board the flight.
Learner examples
There was an incident at the park.
Incidens történt a parkban.
The teacher talked about the incident in class.
A tanár beszélt az incidensről az órán.
A police car came after the incident.
He told his parents about the incident.
The shop closed after the incident.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'incident' with 'accident'. While an accident is usually unplanned and harmful, an incident can be harmful or just unusual without being accidental.
Meaning
unusual or unpleasant event
Collocations
serious incident
|minor incident
|violent incident
|report an incident
|incident occurred
Synonyms
event (More general; can be positive, neutral, or negative.)
|
occurrence (Formal; emphasizes the fact that something happened.)
Antonyms
routine (Describes something regular and expected, the opposite of an unusual event.)
Themes
news
|safety
|daily life
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Something that happens, often something bad or unusual.
An event, especially one that is unusual, important, or causes problems.
NOUN
B2
TECHNICAL
2
incidens
B2
Usage pattern:
the [incident] at [location]
The two countries discussed the recent border incident.
A két ország megvitatta a közelmúltbeli határincidenst.
A security incident was reported at the embassy.
Biztonsági incidenst jelentettek a nagykövetségen.
The report detailed several incidents during the operation.
Learner examples
There was a border incident last week.
A múlt héten határincidens történt.
They wrote a report about the incident.
Jelentést írtak az incidensről.
The army talked about the incident in the meeting.
Meaning
specific event in official context
Collocations
border incident
|diplomatic incident
|security incident
Synonyms
episode (Suggests one part of a series of events.)
Themes
military
|law
|government
|politics
|work
Definition
One event in a series, especially in official or military reports.
A distinct occurrence, often used in official reports to describe a particular event within a larger situation.
C1
TECHNICAL
3
beeső
B2
Usage pattern:
incident [light/ray/wave]
The sensor measures the angle of the incident light.
Az érzékelő a beeső fény szögét méri.
Incident rays are reflected off the mirror.
A beeső sugarak visszaverődnek a tükörről.
The experiment requires controlling the intensity of the incident beam.
Learner examples
The mirror reflects the incident light.
A tükör visszaveri a beeső fényt.
Incident rays hit the glass.
A beeső sugarak az üveget érik.
We measured the angle of the incident ray.
Meaning
falling upon a surface
Collocations
incident light
|incident ray
Synonyms
incoming (General term; not limited to physics.)
Themes
science
|physics
Definition
In science, used for light or energy that hits something.
In physics, describing light, radiation, or another force that falls on or strikes a surface.
Grammar
Dictionary form
incident
IPA
GB/ˈɪnsɪdənt/
US/ˈɪnsɪdənt/
Syllables & stress
in - cid - ent (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (in)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: incident
Noun
- Base: incident
- Plural: incidents
Word family
Forms
incidents
noun
Core family
incidental
adjective B2
incidentally
adverb B2
Advanced or less common
incidence
noun C1
Expressions
incident report
1/ˈɪnsɪdənt ɹɪpˈɔɹt/
fixed phrase
official written account of event
A paper or online form where details about an unusual or bad event are written for records.
Examples
- She filled out an incident report after the accident.
- The company requires an incident report for any workplace injury.
isolated incident
1/ˈaɪsəlˌeɪtɪd ˈɪnsɪdənt/
fixed phrase
single event not repeated
An event that happens only one time and is not part of a regular pattern.
Examples
- Police said it was an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat.
- The fight was an isolated incident and not typical of the team’s behavior.
security incident
1/sɪkjˈʊɹɪti ˈɪnsɪdənt/
fixed phrase
technical
event threatening safety or systems
A problem that puts safety or security at risk.
Examples
- The IT department responded quickly to the security incident.
- Security incidents must be reported immediately to management.
serious incident
1/sˈɪɹiəs ˈɪnsɪdənt/
fixed phrase
event causing major harm or concern
An event that causes big problems or danger.
Examples
- A serious incident at the factory injured several workers.
- The airline is investigating a serious incident involving one of its planes.