2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Threaten  \Threat"en\,  v.  t.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Threatened};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Threatening}.]  [OE.  [thorn]retenen.  See  {Threat},  v. 
  t.] 
  1.  To  utter  threats  against;  to  menace;  to  inspire  with 
  apprehension;  to  alarm,  or  attempt  to  alarm,  as  with  the 
  promise  of  something  evil  or  disagreeable;  to  warn. 
 
  Let  us  straitly  threaten  them  that  they  speak 
  henceforth  to  no  man  in  this  name  --Acts  iv  17. 
 
  2.  To  exhibit  the  appearance  of  (something  evil  or 
  unpleasant)  as  approaching;  to  indicate  as  impending;  to 
  announce  the  conditional  infliction  of  as  to  threaten 
  war;  to  threaten  death.  --Milton. 
 
  The  skies  look  grimly  And  threaten  present  blusters. 
  --Shak. 
 
  Syn:  To  menace. 
 
  Usage:  {Threaten},  {Menace}.  Threaten  is  Anglo-Saxon,  and 
  menace  is  Latin.  As  often  happens,  the  former  is  the 
  more  familiar  term;  the  latter  is  more  employed  in 
  formal  style.  We  are  threatened  with  a  drought;  the 
  country  is  menaced  with  war. 
 
  By  turns  put  on  the  suppliant  and  the  lord: 
  Threatened  this  moment,  and  the  next  implored. 
  --Prior. 
 
  Of  the  sharp  ax  Regardless,  that  o'er  his 
  devoted  head  Hangs  menacing.  --Somerville. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  threatened 
  adj  :  (of  flora  or  fauna)  likely  in  the  near  future  to  become 
  endangered;  "the  spotted  owl  is  a  threatened  species, 
  not  yet  an  endangered  one" 

browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z
or search   thesauri dictionary search words