threaten

threaten
I
(Roget's IV) v.
1. [To warn of punishment]
Syn. intimidate, menace, caution, admonish, hold over, scare, torment, push around, browbeat, forewarn, bully, terrorize, abuse, bluster, fulminate, look daggers, thunder against, bulldoze*, draw a gun on*, pull a gun on*, double the fist at*; see also frighten 1 , abuse 1 , warn .
Ant. help*, mollify, placate.
2. [To impend]
Syn. endanger, be dangerous, be gathering, be in the offing, imperil, be brewing, be on the horizon, approach, come on, advance; see also frighten 1 , loom 2 .
Ant. happen*, seize, overcome.
Syn.- threaten implies a warning of impending punishment, danger, evil, etc. as by words, actions, events, conditions, or signs [ he threatened to retaliate, the clouds threaten rain ] ; menace stresses the frightening or hostile character of that which threatens [ he menaced me with a revolver ]
II
(Roget's 3 Superthesaurus) v.
intimidate, scare, menace, *put the fear of God into, *scare the bejesus out of one, terrorize, frighten, alarm, bully, cow, put on alert, loom.
III
(Roget's Thesaurus II) verb 1. To domineer or drive into compliance by the use of as threats or force, for example: bludgeon, browbeat, bulldoze, bully, bullyrag, cow, hector, intimidate, menace. Informal: strong-arm. See OVER. 2. To subject to danger or destruction: endanger, imperil, jeopardize, menace, peril, risk. See SAFETY. 3. To give warning signs of (impending peril): forebode, forewarn. See FORESIGHT. 4. To be imminent: brew, hang over, impend, loom, lower1, menace, overhang. See NEAR.

English dictionary for students. 2013.

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  • Threaten — Threat en, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Threatened}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Threatening}.] [OE. [thorn]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… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • threaten — threaten, menace both mean to announce or forecast (as by word or look) an impending or probable infliction (as an evil or an injury). Threaten basically implies an attempt to dissuade or influence by promising punishment or the infliction of… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • threaten — [thret′ n] vt. [ME thretnen < OE threatnian] 1. a) to make threats against; express one s intention of hurting, punishing, etc. b) to express intention to inflict (punishment, reprisal, etc.) 2. a) to indicate the likely occurrence of… …   English World dictionary

  • Threaten — Threat en, v. i. To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance. [1913 Webster] Though the seas threaten, they are merciful. Shak. [1913 Webster] [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • threaten — [v1] warn, pressure abuse, admonish, augur, blackmail, bluster, browbeat, bully, caution, comminate, cow, enforce, flex muscles*, forebode, forewarn, fulminate, growl, intimidate, look daggers*, make threat, menace, portend, presage, pressurize,… …   New thesaurus

  • threaten — I verb admonish, augur, be near at hand, blackmail, bode, browbeat, coerce, comminari, comminate, forebode, foreshadow, forewarn, frighten, fulminate, hector, intimidate, menace, portend, presage, terrorize, use threats II index bait (harass),… …   Law dictionary

  • threaten — O.E. þreatnian (see THREAT (Cf. threat)). Related: Threatened. Threatening in the sense of portending no good is recorded from 1520s …   Etymology dictionary

  • threaten — ► VERB 1) make or express a threat to (someone) or to do (something). 2) put at risk; endanger. 3) (of a situation or the weather) seem likely to produce (an unwelcome result). DERIVATIVES threatening adjective …   English terms dictionary

  • threaten */*/*/ — UK [ˈθret(ə)n] / US verb Word forms threaten : present tense I/you/we/they threaten he/she/it threatens present participle threatening past tense threatened past participle threatened 1) a) [transitive] to tell someone that you might or you will… …   English dictionary

  • threaten — threat|en [ θretn ] verb *** 1. ) transitive to tell someone that you might or you will cause them harm, especially in order to make them do something: He s been threatening me for months. threaten to do something: The terrorists are threatening… …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • threaten — / Tretn/ verb 1 (T) to say that you will cause someone pain, unhappiness, or trouble if they do not do what you want: threaten to do sth: Every time they quarrel, Jan threatens to leave. | threaten sb with sth: We were threatened with the sack if …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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