'Threatening' definitions:
Definition of 'threatening'
(from WordNet)
adjective
Threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments; "a baleful look"; "forbidding thunderclouds"; "his tone became menacing"; "ominous rumblings of discontent"; "sinister storm clouds"; "a sinister smile"; "his threatening behavior"; "ugly black clouds"; "the situation became ugly" [syn: baleful, forbidding, menacing, minacious, minatory, ominous, sinister, threatening]
adjective
Definition of 'Threatening'
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]
Definition of 'Threatening'
From: GCIDE
- Threatening \Threat"en*ing\, a. & n. from Threaten, v. -- {Threat"en*ing*ly}, adv. [1913 Webster]
- Threatening letters (Law), letters containing threats, especially those designed to extort money, or to obtain other property, by menaces; blackmailing letters. [1913 Webster]
Synonyms of 'threatening'
From: Moby Thesaurus
- about to be,
- abusive,
- alarming,
- already in sight,
- apocalyptic,
- approaching,
- at hand,
- bad,
- baleful,
- baneful,
- black,
- bludgeoning,
- blustering,
- bodeful,
- boding,
- brewing,
- browbeating,
- bulldozing,
- bullying,
- close,
- close at hand,
- coming,
- comminatory,
- critical,
- dangerous,
- dangersome,
- dark,
- denunciatory,
- dire,
- doomful,
- dreary,
- evil,
- evil-starred,
- explosive,
- fateful,
- fear-inspiring,
- foreboding,
- forthcoming,
- fraught with danger,
- future,
- gathering,
- gloomy,
- going to happen,
- hectoring,
- ill,
- ill-boding,
- ill-fated,
- ill-omened,
- ill-starred,
- immediate,
- imminent,
- impendent,
- impending,
- in danger imminent,
- in prospect,
- in reserve,
- in store,
- in the cards,
- in the offing,
- in the wind,
- in view,
- inauspicious,
- instant,
- intimidating,
- jeopardous,
- looming,
- lowering,
- lurking,
- menacing,
- minacious,
- minatory,
- near,
- near at hand,
- nearing,
- of evil portent,
- ominous,
- on the horizon,
- overhanging,
- parlous,
- periculous,
- perilous,
- portending,
- portentous,
- preparing,
- serious,
- sinister,
- somber,
- terroristic,
- terrorizing,
- that will be,
- threatful,
- to come,
- ugly,
- unfavorable,
- unfortunate,
- unlucky,
- unpromising,
- unpropitious,
- untoward,
- upcoming,
- waiting