risk vs bell the cat

risk is a noun but bell the cat is not a noun.

Word	Noun	Adjective	Verb	Adverb
risk	Yes	No	Yes	No
bell the cat	No	No	Yes	No

As verbs, bell the cat is a hyponym of risk; that is, bell the cat is a word with a more specific, narrower meaning than risk:

Other hyponyms of risk include adventure, hazard, jeopardize, stake, venture.

risk (noun)	bell the cat (noun)
a venture undertaken without regard to possible loss or injury
the probability of being exposed to an infectious agent
the probability of becoming infected given that exposure to an infectious agent has occurred
a source of danger; a possibility of incurring loss or misfortune

risk (verb)	bell the cat (verb)
expose to a chance of loss or damage	take a risk; perform a daring act
take a risk in the hope of a favorable outcome