threaten

[Threat·en]

Something that threatens makes its danger known. Storm clouds threaten rain, and bullies threaten other kids.

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To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn.

Verb
to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:"He threatened me when I tried to call the police"

Verb
to be a menacing indication of something:"The clouds threaten rain"; "Danger threatens"

Verb
pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops"

v. t.
To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn.

v. t.
To exhibit the appearance of (something evil or unpleasant) as approaching; to indicate as impending; to announce the conditional infliction of; as, to threaten war; to threaten death.

v. i.
To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance.

Threaten

Threat"en , v. t. [imp. & p. p. Threatened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Threatening.] [OE. retenen. See Threat, v. t.] 1. To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn.

Let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name.

2. To exhibit the appearance of (something evil or unpleasant) as approaching; to indicate as impending; to announce the conditional infliction of; as, to threaten war; to threaten death. Milton.

The skies look grimly And threaten present blusters.

Syn. -- To menace. -- Threaten, Menace. Threaten is Anglo-Saxon, and menace is Latin. As often happens, the former is the more familiar term; the latter is more employed in formal style. We are threatened with a drought; the country is menaced with war.

By turns put on the suppliant and the lord: Threatened this moment, and the next implored.

Of the sharp ax Regardless, that o'er his devoted head Hangs menacing.

Threaten

Threat"en, v. i. To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance.

Though the seas threaten, they are merciful.

To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn.

To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance.

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Usage Examples

My attitude to peace is rather based on the Burmese definition of peace - it really means removing all the negative factors that destroy peace in this world. So peace does not mean just putting an end to violence or to war, but to all other factors that threaten peace, such as discrimination, such as inequality, poverty.

Not longer loved or fostered by religion, beauty is lifted from its face as a mask, and its absence exposes features on that face which threaten to become incomprehensible to man.

Moreover, the practical recommendations deduced from ecological principles threaten the vested interests of commerce it is hardly surprising that the financial and political power created by these investments should be used sometimes to suppress environmental impact studies.

Challenges of historic import threaten America's future. Action on the deficit, economy, energy, health care and much more is imperative, yet our legislative institutions fail to act. Congress must be reformed.

No one has the right to threaten the health, education, and well-being of children by involving them in illegal or inappropriate work.

The only justification for repressive institutions is material and cultural deficit. But such institutions, at certain stages of history, perpetuate and produce such a deficit, and even threaten human survival.

The only foes that threaten America are the enemies at home, and these are ignorance, superstition and incompetence.

Misspelled Form

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Other Usage Examples

Most children threaten at times to run away from home. This is the only thing that keeps some parents going.

Don't threaten me with love, baby. Let's just go walking in the rain.

I have had a very difficult time with stage fright it undermines your well-being and peace of mind, and it can also threaten your livelihood.

Chemistry itself knows altogether too well that - given the real fear that the scarcity of global resources and energy might threaten the unity of mankind - chemistry is in a position to make a contribution towards securing a true peace on earth.

The restriction of religion to private life therefore does not necessarily threaten the vital interests of the majority religion, if there is one, and it protects minority religions from tyranny of the majority.

There were certain questions about the foundations of morals that advances in science all threaten to make more complicated.

Some in my party threaten to send a message that they don't know a just war when they see it, and more broadly that they're not prepared to use our military strength to protect our security and the cause of freedom.

Comedy is a way to make sense of chaos. It's a way of dealing with things that are overwhelming, that threaten you it's a way to survive and get closer to the truth.