[VERB 动词]威胁；恐吓 If a person threatens to do something unpleasant to you, or if they threaten you, they say or imply that they will do something unpleasant to you, especially if you do not do what they want.
[V to-inf]
[V n with n]
[V n]
[Also V that]
He said army officers had threatened to destroy the town...
他说陆军军官们曾威胁要摧毁那座小镇。
He tied her up and threatened her with a six-inch knife...
他把她捆起来，拿着一把 6 英寸长的刀子威胁她。
If you threaten me or use any force, I shall inform the police.
你要是威胁我或是动武，我就报警。
2
[VERB 动词]危害到；威胁到 If something or someone threatens a person or thing, they are likely to harm that person or thing.
[V n]
[be V-ed with n]
The newcomers directly threaten the livelihood of the established workers...
新来的工人直接威胁到老工人的饭碗。
The unity of our society is threatened by troublesome and restless minorities...
我们社会的团结遭到了一小撮滋扰生事、不安分守己的群体的威胁。
30 percent of reptiles, birds, and fish are currently threatened with extinction.
目前，30% 的爬行动物、鸟类和鱼类面临灭绝的危险。
3
[VERB 动词](坏事)可能发生，将要发生 If something unpleasant threatens to happen, it seems likely to happen.
[V to-inf]
[V]
The fighting is threatening to turn into full-scale war...
这场战斗有可能会演变为全面的战争。
Plants must be covered with a leaf-mould or similarly protected if frost threatens.
如果霜冻来临，植物必须盖上腐叶土或用类似方法加以保护。
4
See also:
threatened
；
threatening
；
Oxford
threat·en★/ˈθretn; NAmEˈθretn/verb1★[transitive ]to say that you will cause trouble, hurt sb, etc. if you do not get what you want 扬言要；威胁；恐吓threatensb ◆They broke my windows and threatened me.他们砸碎我的窗子并威胁我。threatensb with sth ◆The attacker threatened them with a gun.袭击者用枪威胁他们。◆He was threatened with dismissal if he continued to turn up late for work.他受到警告，如果继续上班迟到，就被辞退。threatensth ◆The threatened strike has been called off.扬言要进行的罢工被取消了。threatento do sth ◆The hijackers threatened to kill one passenger every hour if their demands were not met.劫机者要挟说，如果他们的要求得不到满足，他们每过一小时就杀死一名乘客。threatenthat… ◆They threatened that passengers would be killed.他们要挟说要杀死乘客。2★[intransitive , transitive ]to seem likely to happen or cause sth unpleasant 预示凶兆；有…危险◆A storm was threatening.暴风雨即将来临。threatento do sth ◆This dispute threatens to split the party.这一分歧可能会造成党的分裂。threatensth ◆The clouds threatened rain.乌云密布预示大雨将至。3★[transitive ]threatensth to be a danger to sth 危及；对…构成威胁SYN
endanger
,put at risk◆Pollution is threatening marine life.污染正危及海洋生物。threatenthreatensthreatenedthreateningthreat·en/ˈθretn; NAmEˈθretn/
LDC
threatenthreat‧en /ˈθretn/ ●●●S3W2 verb
Verb Table
Examples
Thesaurus
Collocations
Word family
1[transitive] to say that you will cause someone harm or trouble if they do not do what you want: Postal workers are threatening a strike if they don’t receive a pay increase.threaten to do something He threatened to take them to court.threaten somebody with something Doctors are sometimes threatened with violence if they don’t do what patients want.threaten (that) Then he became angry and threatened that he would go to the police.2[transitive] to be likely to harm or destroy something: Poaching threatens the survival of the rhino.threaten to do something The incident threatens to ruin his chances in the election.be threatened with something Large areas of the jungle are now threatened with destruction.3[intransitive, transitive] to be likely to happen or be in a bad situation: Britain’s fishing industry remains threatened. Dark clouds threatened rain.