Definition of Threaten in English :

Define Threaten in English

Threaten meaning in English

Meaning of Threaten in English

Pronunciation of Threaten in English

Threaten pronunciation in English

Pronounce Threaten in English

Threaten

see synonyms of threaten

Verb

1. endanger, imperil, jeopardise, jeopardize, menace, peril, threaten

pose a threat to; present a danger to

Example Sentences:
'The pollution is endangering the crops'

2. threaten

to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:

Example Sentences:
'He threatened me when I tried to call the police'

3. threaten

to be a menacing indication of something:

Example Sentences:
'The clouds threaten rain'
'Danger threatens'

WordNet Lexical Database for English. Princeton University. 2010.


Threaten

see synonyms of threaten
verb
1. (transitive)
to be a threat to
2. 
to be a menacing indication of (something); portend
dark clouds threatened rain
3. (when tr, may take a clause as object)
to express a threat to (a person or people)

Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers


Threaten

see synonyms of threaten
verb transitive
1. 
a. 
to make threats against; express one's intention of hurting, punishing, etc.
b. 
to express intention to inflict (punishment, reprisal, etc.)
2. 
a. 
to indicate the likely occurrence of (something dangerous, unpleasant, etc.)
clouds threatening snow
b. 
to be a source of such danger, harm, etc. to
an epidemic that threatens the city
verb intransitive
3. 
to make threats
4. 
to be an indication or source of potential danger, harm, etc.

Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.


Threaten

see synonyms of threaten
v. threat·ened, threat·en·ing, threat·ens
v.tr.
1. To express a threat against or give indications of taking hostile action against: threatened his neighbor with a knife.
2. To be a source of danger to; endanger: Landslides threatened the mountain village.
3. To give signs or warning of; portend: clouds threatening rain.
4. To announce the possibility of (something) in a threat or prediction: workers threatening a walkout; a customer threatening to sue for fraud.
5. To cause (someone) to feel that his or her power, social standing, or self-esteem is in danger of being diminished: felt threatened by his colleague's promotion.
v.intr.
1. To express or use threats.
2. To indicate or be a source of danger or harm: "When World War II threatened, Broadway turned to patriotic extravaganzas" (Deanne Stillman).

The American Heritage ® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2018 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.