threaten
[ thret-n ]
/ ˈθrɛt n /
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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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The rainy weather could not ________ my elated spirits on my graduation day.
Origin of threaten
OTHER WORDS FROM threaten
threat·en·er, nounoutthreaten, verb (used with object)pre·threat·en, verb (used with object)re·threat·en, verbDictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for threaten
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, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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