threaten
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threat·en
(thrĕt′n)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).
threat′en·er n.
threat′en·ing·ly adv.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
threaten
(ˈθrɛtən)vb
1. (tr) 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)
ˈthreatener n
ˈthreatening adj
ˈthreateningly adv
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
threat•en
(ˈθrɛt n)v.t.
1. to utter a threat against.
2. to be a menace or source of danger to: to threaten one's peace of mind.
3. to offer (a punishment, injury, etc.) by way of a threat: They threatened swift retaliation.
4. to give an ominous indication of: The clouds threaten rain.
v.i. 5. to utter or use threats.
6. to indicate impending evil, mischief, or difficulty.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
threaten
If you threaten to do something that will harm or upset someone, you warn them that you may do it.
The police threatened to imprison me.
He threatened to resign.
You can threaten someone with an action that will harm them.
The group's members were threatened with imprisonment.
The 21-year-old claimed she was threatened with death.
Collins COBUILD English Usage © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 2004, 2011, 2012
threaten
Past participle: threatened
Gerund: threatening
| Imperative |
|---|
| threaten |
| threaten |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. |  threaten - pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops" |
| 2. | threaten - to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:"He threatened me when I tried to call the police" warn - notify of danger, potential harm, or risk; "The director warned him that he might be fired"; "The doctor warned me about the dangers of smoking" offer - threaten to do something; "I offered to leave the committee if they did not accept my proposal" | |
| 3. | threaten - to be a menacing indication of something:"The clouds threaten rain"; "Danger threatens" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
threaten
verb
1. intimidate, bully, menace, terrorize, warn, cow, lean on (slang), pressurize, browbeat, make threats to He tied her up and threatened her with a knife.
intimidate protect, guard, defend, shelter, shield, safeguard
intimidate protect, guard, defend, shelter, shield, safeguard
2. endanger, jeopardize, put at risk, imperil, put in jeopardy, put on the line The newcomers directly threaten the livelihood of current workers.
endanger protect, guard, defend, shelter, shield, safeguard
endanger protect, guard, defend, shelter, shield, safeguard
3. be imminent, hang over, be in the air, loom, be in the offing, hang over someone's head, impend Plants must be covered with a leaf-mould if frost threatens.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
threaten
verb1. To domineer or drive into compliance by the use of as threats or force, for example:
Informal: strong-arm.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُهَدِّدُيُهَدِّد
vyhrožovathrozit
TRUE
uhata
prijetiti
hóta, ógna
脅す脅迫する威嚇する脅かす
위협하다
vyhrážať sa
groziti
hota
ขู่เข็ญ
đe dọa
threaten
[ˈθretn]A. VT
1. (= menace verbally) → amenazar
to threaten to do sth → amenazar con hacer algo
she threatened to kill him → amenazó con matarlo
to threaten sb with sth → amenazar a algn con algo
they were threatened with the sack → los amenazaron con el despido, amenazaron con despedirlos
to threaten to do sth → amenazar con hacer algo
she threatened to kill him → amenazó con matarlo
to threaten sb with sth → amenazar a algn con algo
they were threatened with the sack → los amenazaron con el despido, amenazaron con despedirlos
B. VI [sky, clouds] → amenazar
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
threaten
[ˈθrɛtən] vi [storm, war, danger] → menacer
vt
(= make threats towards) → menacer
to threaten sb with sth [+ dismissal, prison] → menacer qn de qch
to threaten sb with a knife → menacer qn avec un couteau
to threaten sb with a gun → menacer qn avec un pistolet
to threaten to do sth [person] → menacer de faire qch
to threaten sb with sth [+ dismissal, prison] → menacer qn de qch
to threaten sb with a knife → menacer qn avec un couteau
to threaten sb with a gun → menacer qn avec un pistolet
to threaten to do sth [person] → menacer de faire qch
(= endanger) [+ society, livelihood, peace, security, wildlife] → être une menace pour, menacer
to be threatened with extinction → être menacé(e) d'extinction
to be threatened with extinction → être menacé(e) d'extinction
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
threaten
vt
person → bedrohen, drohen (+dat); revenge, violence → androhen, drohen mit; don’t you threaten me! → von Ihnen lasse ich mir nicht drohen!; to threaten to do something → (an)drohen, etw zu tun; to threaten somebody with something → jdm etw androhen, jdm mit etw drohen; to threaten somebody with a weapon → jdn mit der Waffe bedrohen; to threaten legal action → mit rechtlichen Schritten drohen
vi (danger, storm etc) → drohen, im Anzug sein
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
threaten
[ˈθrɛtn]1. vt → minacciare
to threaten sb with sth → minacciare qn di qc
to threaten to do sth → minacciare di fare qc
to threaten sb with sth → minacciare qn di qc
to threaten to do sth → minacciare di fare qc
2. vi (storm) → minacciare
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
threat
(θret) noun1. a warning that one is going to hurt or punish someone. He will certainly carry out his threat to harm you.
2. a sign of something dangerous or unpleasant which may be, or is, about to happen. a threat of rain.
3. a source of danger. His presence is a threat to our plan/success.
ˈthreaten verb to make or be a threat (to). She threatened to kill herself; He threatened me with violence / with a gun; A storm is threatening.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
threaten
→ يُهَدِّدُ vyhrožovat true drohen απειλώ amenazar uhata menacer prijetiti minacciare 脅す 위협하다 dreigen true zagrozić ameaçar угрожать hota ขู่เข็ญ tehdit etmek đe dọa 威胁Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
threaten
v. amenazar.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012
threaten
vt, vi amenazarEnglish-Spanish/Spanish-English Medical Dictionary Copyright © 2006 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. All rights reserved.