court disaster

IPA/kˈɔːt dɪzˈastə/
IPA/kˈɔːɹt dɪzˈæstɚ/

court disaster — idiom

1. to act in a way that makes a very bad outcome or serious failure almost certain

1.idiomC1
Definition

to act in a way that makes a very bad outcome or serious failure almost certain to happen

Example

Keiko knew she was courting disaster by ignoring the warning signs at work.

courting disaster + by + -ing (cause and effect)

Oluwaseun courted disaster when he drove through the flooded street at full speed.

Common collocations
  • court danger
  • court controversy
  • court trouble
  • court criticism
Synonyms
  • tempt fate

    more superstitious in tone; implies challenging luck or destiny

  • play with fire

    more colloquial; suggests the danger is obvious to everyone

  • ask for trouble

    more informal and conversational

  • push one's luck

    implies overconfidence or greed after already getting away with something

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

court + disaster/danger/trouble

Usage Note

The noun 'disaster' can be replaced with other negative outcomes such as danger, trouble, controversy, or criticism. The verb 'court' here is unrelated to legal courts or romantic courting.

Common Mistakes

He went to the court disaster.' (confusing with a law court building).
He was courting disaster.
'court' here means to invite or risk something bad, not a place for legal cases.

Synonym discussion

Sense: idiom/1

All four expressions describe risky behaviour, but they differ in tone and connotation. 'Court disaster' is the most formal and literary — it appears in news reports and serious commentary, and the risk is often not immediately visible. 'Tempt fate' carries a superstitious flavour, as if the person is challenging luck or destiny to strike back. 'Play with fire' is vivid and colloquial, emphasising that the danger is obvious to any observer. 'Ask for trouble' is the most conversational and everyday option — you might hear it in a parent's warning. 'Push one's luck' implies the person has already succeeded at something risky and is now overreaching. For instance, a politician hiding evidence is courting disaster; a teenager skating down a steep railing is asking for trouble; a gambler who has already won three times and bets again is pushing his luck.

tempt fate ↗play with fire ↗ask for trouble ↗push one's luck

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

The verb 'court' originally meant 'to seek favour at a royal court,' from Old French cort (royal residence). By the 16th century, it broadened to mean 'seek' or 'woo' in general, and from there developed the ironic sense of 'inviting something unwanted' — so 'court disaster' means you are effectively wooing misfortune as if it were a desirable partner.