Source : Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913)

Venture \Ven"ture\, v. t.
   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. --Shak.

   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. [R.]

            A man would be well enough pleased to buy silks of
            one whom he would not venture to feel his pulse.
                                                  --Addison.

Venture \Ven"ture\ (?; 135), n. [Aphetic form of OE. 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. --Shak.

   {At a venture}, at hazard; without seeing the end or mark;
      without foreseeing the issue; at random.

            A certain man drew a bow at a venture. --1 Kings
                                                  xxii. 34.

            A bargain at a venture made.          --Hudibras.

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

Venture \Ven"ture\, v. i. [imp. & p. p. {Ventured}; p. pr. & vb.
   n. {Venturing}.]
   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.

   {To venture at}, or {To venture on} or {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.

Source : WordNet®

venture
     v 1: proceed somewhere despite the risk of possible dangers; "We
          ventured into the world of high-tech and bought a
          supercomputer" [syn: {embark}]
     2: put forward, of a guess, in spite of possible refutation; "I
        am guessing that the price of real estate will rise
        again"; "I cannot pretend to say that you are wrong" [syn:
         {guess}, {pretend}, {hazard}]
     3: put at risk; "I will stake my good reputation for this"
        [syn: {hazard}, {adventure}, {stake}, {jeopardize}]

venture
     n 1: any venturesome undertaking especially one with an uncertain
          outcome
     2: an investment that is very risky but could yield great
        profits; "he knew the stock was a speculation when he
        bought it" [syn: {speculation}]
     3: a commercial undertaking that risks a loss but promises a
        profit