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threaten

[ thret-n ]
/ ˈθrɛt n /
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See synonyms for: threaten / threatened / threatening / threatens on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
to utter a threat against; menace: He threatened the boy with a beating.
to be a menace or source of danger to: Sickness threatened her peace of mind.
to offer (a punishment, injury, etc.) by way of a threat: They threatened swift retaliation.
to give an ominous indication of: The clouds threaten rain.
verb (used without object)
to utter or use threats.
to indicate impending evil or mischief.
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In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

Origin of threaten

before 1000; Middle English thretnen,Old English thrēatnian, derivative of thrēat pressure, oppression. See threat, -en1

OTHER WORDS FROM threaten

threat·en·er, nounoutthreaten, verb (used with object)pre·threat·en, verb (used with object)re·threat·en, verb
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use threaten in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for threaten

threaten
/ (ˈθrɛtən) /

verb
(tr) to be a threat to
to be a menacing indication of (something); portenddark clouds threatened rain
(when tr, may take a clause as object) to express a threat to (a person or people)

Derived forms of threaten

threatener, nounthreatening, adjectivethreateningly, adverb
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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