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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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. 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, adverbCollins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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