Adventurous, a.
Etymology: [OE. aventurous, aunterous, OF. aventuros, F. aventureux, fr. aventure. See Adventure, n.]
1. Inclined to adventure; willing to incur hazard; prone to embark in hazardous enterprise; rashly daring; -- applied to persons. Bold deed thou hast presumed, adventurous Eve. Milton.
2. Full of hazard; attended with risk; exposing to danger; requiring courage; rash; -- applied to acts; as, an adventurous undertaking, deed, song.
Syn. -- Rash; foolhardy; presumptuous; enterprising; daring; hazardous; venturesome. See Rash.
Shades of meaning
Fernald has no entry of its own for adventurous; he lists it under brave.
Where he writes about it:
The adventurous man goes in quest of danger; the bold man stands out and faces danger or censure; the brave man combines confidence with resolution in presence of danger; the chivalrous man puts himself in peril for others' protection. — from brave
The adventurous find something romantic in dangerous enterprises; the venturesome may be simply heedless, reckless, or ignorant. — from brave
All great explorers have been adventurous; children, fools, and criminals are venturesome. — from brave