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Event vs Incident - What's the difference?

event | incident |

In physics terms the difference between event and incident

is that event is a point in spacetime having three spatial coordinates and one temporal coordinate while incident is (of a stream of particles or radiation) falling on or striking a surface (e.g. "The incident light illuminated the surface.".

As nouns the difference between event and incident

is that event is an occurrence; something that happens while incident is an event or occurrence.

As an adjective incident is

arising as the result of an event, inherent.

event

English

(wikipedia event)

Noun

(en noun)
  • An occurrence; something that happens.
  • * Macaulay
  • the events of his early years
  • An end result; an outcome (now chiefly in phrases).
  • *, II.3.3:
  • hard beginnings have many times prosperous events  […].
  • * 1707 , , by Eccles and Congrieve; scene 8
  • Of my ill boding Dream / Behold the dire Event .
  • * Young
  • dark doubts between the promise and event
    In the event , he turned out to have what I needed anyway.
  • (physics) A point in spacetime having three spatial coordinates and one temporal coordinate.
  • (computing) A possible action that the user can perform that is monitored by an application or the operating system (event listener). When an event occurs an event handler is called which performs a specific task.
  • (probability theory) A set of some of the possible outcomes; a subset of the sample space.
  • If X is a random variable representing the toss of a six-sided die, then its sample space could be denoted as {1,2,3,4,5,6}. Examples of events could be: X = 1, X = 2, X \ge 5, X \not = 4, and X \isin \{1,3,5\}.
  • (obsolete) An affair in hand; business; enterprise.
  • * Shakespeare
  • Leave we him to his events .
  • (lb) An episode of severe health conditions.
  • Derived terms

    * blessed event * credit event * current events * doomsday event * eventful * event horizon * eventless * eventual * in the event * K-T extinction event * media event * quick time event * risk event * sentinel event * social event * speciation event * to be wise after the event

    incident

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An event or occurrence.
  • A relatively minor event that is incidental to, or related to others
  • An event that may cause or causes an interruption or a crisis
  • In safety, an incident of workplace illness or injury
  • Derived terms

    * incidental * aviation incident * coincident * incident room

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Arising as the result of an event, inherent
  • (physics) (of a stream of particles or radiation ) falling on or striking a surface (e.g. "The incident light illuminated the surface.")
  • Coming or happening accidentally; not in the usual course of things; not in connection with the main design; not according to expectation; casual; fortuitous.
  • * Hooker
  • As the ordinary course of common affairs is disposed of by general laws, so likewise men's rarer incident necessities and utilities should be with special equity considered.
  • Liable to happen; apt to occur; befalling; hence, naturally happening or appertaining.
  • * Milton
  • all chances incident to man's frail life
  • * Milward
  • the studies incident to his profession
  • (legal) Dependent upon, or appertaining to, another thing, called the principal.