presage

American  

[pres-ij, pres-ij, pri-seyj] / ˈprɛs ɪdʒ, ˈprɛs ɪdʒ, prɪˈseɪdʒ /

noun

1. a presentiment or foreboding.

   Synonyms:

   premonition, indication

2. something that portends or foreshadows a future event; an omen, prognostic, or warning indication.

   Synonyms:

   token, sign, portent

3. prophetic significance; augury.

4. foresight; prescience.

5. Archaic. a forecast or prediction.

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verb (used with object)

presaged, presaging

1. to have a presentiment of.

2. to portend, foreshow, or foreshadow.

   The incidents may presage war.

3. to forecast; predict.

verb (used without object)

presaged, presaging

1. to make a prediction.

2. Archaic. to have a presentiment.

presage British  

noun

1. an intimation or warning of something about to happen; portent; omen

2. a sense of what is about to happen; foreboding

3. archaic a forecast or prediction

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verb

1. (tr) to have a presentiment of

2. (tr) to give a forewarning of; portend

3. (intr) to make a prediction

Other Word Forms

• presageful adjective
• presagefully adverb
• presager noun
• unpresaged adjective
• unpresaging adjective

Etymology

Origin of presage

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Middle French presage < Latin praesāgium presentiment, forewarning, equivalent to praesāg ( us ) having a foreboding ( prae- pre- + sāgus prophetic; sagacious ) + -ium -ium

Example Sentences

Despite the U.S. intervention, presaged by aircraft carriers roving the Caribbean this fall and attacks on accused drug-trafficking boats, some investors cautioned that Venezuela’s future is still highly uncertain.

From The Wall Street Journal

The rise and collapse of the eruption column presaged a series of pyroclastic surges, the fourth of which killed everyone in its path in Pompeii.

From The Wall Street Journal

Conversely, a lagging transportation average might presage a decline in the overall market.

From The Wall Street Journal

It was an early example of Americans’ resentment of English tyranny, presaging the anger that would erupt into the Revolutionary War in the next century.

From The Wall Street Journal

If Rosenberg is right and “odds of some policy action or communication to stabilize the yen are rising,” then this could presage a major trading reversal.

From MarketWatch

Related Words

• augur
• forebode
• foresee
• foreshadow
• foretell
• portend
• signify