'Threaten' definitions:
Definition of 'threaten'
(from WordNet)
verb
Pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops" [syn: endanger, jeopardize, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril]
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"
Definition of 'Threaten'
From: GCIDE
- 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]
Definition of 'Threaten'
From: GCIDE
- 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 something evil or disagreeable; to warn. [1913 Webster]
- Let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. --Acts iv. 17. [1913 Webster]
- 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. [1913 Webster]
- The skies look grimly And threaten present blusters. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: To menace.
- Usage: 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. [1913 Webster]
- By turns put on the suppliant and the lord: Threatened this moment, and the next implored. --Prior. [1913 Webster]
- Of the sharp ax Regardless, that o'er his devoted head Hangs menacing. --Somerville. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'threaten'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- abuse,
- admonish,
- advise,
- afflict,
- aggrieve,
- alert,
- anticipate,
- apprehend,
- approach,
- augur,
- await,
- be destined,
- be fated,
- be imminent,
- be in store,
- be to be,
- be to come,
- befoul,
- bewitch,
- blight,
- bludgeon,
- bluster,
- bluster out of,
- bode,
- brew,
- browbeat,
- bulldoze,
- bully,
- caution,
- come,
- come on,
- comminate,
- condemn,
- confront,
- corrupt,
- cow,
- croak,
- crucify,
- cry havoc,
- curse,
- damage,
- daunt,
- defile,
- demoralize,
- denounce,
- deprave,
- despoil,
- destroy,
- disadvantage,
- disserve,
- distress,
- do a mischief,
- do evil,
- do ill,
- do wrong,
- do wrong by,
- doom,
- dragoon,
- draw near,
- draw nigh,
- draw on,
- endanger,
- envenom,
- expect,
- face,
- forebode,
- foresee,
- foretell,
- forewarn,
- forthcome,
- gather,
- get into trouble,
- give fair warning,
- give notice,
- give warning,
- hang over,
- harass,
- harm,
- have a premonition,
- have a presentiment,
- hector,
- hex,
- hope,
- hover,
- huff,
- hurt,
- impair,
- impend,
- imperil,
- infect,
- injure,
- intimidate,
- issue an ultimatum,
- jeopardize,
- jinx,
- lie ahead,
- lie over,
- look black,
- look for,
- look forward to,
- look threatening,
- loom,
- lower,
- maltreat,
- menace,
- mistreat,
- molest,
- near,
- notify,
- outrage,
- overhang,
- persecute,
- plan,
- play havoc with,
- play hob with,
- plot,
- poison,
- pollute,
- portend,
- preapprehend,
- predict,
- prejudice,
- presage,
- project,
- prophesy,
- put in jeopardy,
- savage,
- scathe,
- sound the alarm,
- systematically terrorize,
- taint,
- terrorize,
- tip,
- tip off,
- torment,
- torture,
- utter a caveat,
- utter threats against,
- violate,
- warn,
- warn against,
- wound,
- wreak havoc on,
- wrong