Threatened Threaten Verb ə Utter Threats Evil Sth

threat·en
\\ˈthre-t^ən\\ verb
(threat·ened ; threat·en·ing \\ˈthret-niŋ, ˈthre-t^ən-iŋ\\)transitive verb
1. to utter threats against
2.
  a. to give signs or warning of :

portend

      the clouds threatened rain
  b. to hang over dangerously :

menace

      famine threatens the city
3. to announce as intended or possible
    the workers threatened a strike
4. to cause to feel insecure or anxious
    felt threatened by his brother's success
intransitive verb
1. to utter threats
2. to portend evil
• threat·en·er \\ˈthret-nər, ˈthre-t^ən-ər\\ noun
• threat·en·ing·ly \\ˈthret-niŋ-lē, ˈthre-t^ən-iŋ-\\ adverb

☞ threaten
threat·en / 5Wretn / verb1. ~ sb (with sth) 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:
  ▪ [VN]
   They broke my windows and threatened me.
   他们砸碎我的窗子并威胁我。
   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。
   The threatened strike has been called off.
   扬言要进行的罢工被取消了。
  ▪ [V to inf]
   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。
  ▪ [also V that]
2. to seem likely to happen or cause sth unpleasant
   预示凶兆；有…危险:
  ▪ [V]
   A storm was threatening.
   暴风雨即将来临。
  ▪ [V to inf]
   This dispute threatens to split the party.
   这一分歧可能会造成党的分裂。
  ▪ [VN]
   The clouds threatened rain.
   乌云密布预示大雨将至。
3. [VN] 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。

threaten verb

threat·en
\ˈthret^ən\ verb
(threatened ; threatened ; threatening \-t(^ə)niŋ\ ; threatens)
Etymology: Middle English thretnen, thretenen, from Old English thrēatnian to force, from thrēat coercion + -nian -en
transitive verb
1. : to utter threats against : promise punishment, reprisal, or other distress to
 < threaten trespassers with arrest >
2. archaic : to charge under pain of punishment :
 < let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name — Acts 4:17 (Authorized Version) >
3. : to promise as a threat : hold out by way of menace or warning
 < threaten punishment to all trespassers >
4.
 a. : to give signs of the approach of (something evil or unpleasant) : indicate as impending :
  < the sky threatens storm >
 b. : to hang over as a threat :
  < famine threatens the city >
5. : to announce as intended or possible
 < threaten to buy a car >
intransitive verb
1. : to utter or use threats or menaces
2. : to have a menacing appearance : portend evil
 < though the seas threaten they are merciful — Shakespeare >
Synonyms:
 menace: threaten applies to the probable visitation of some evil or affliction; it may be used of attempts to dissuade by promising punishment or retribution
  < most of them lived on the margin of survival, constantly threatened by famine and disease — Arthur Geddes >
  < another form of lying, which is extremely bad for the young, is to threaten punishments you do not mean to inflict — Bertrand Russell >
  < discredit completely all other forms of Christianity, denying any efficacy to their rites, and threatening all their members with eternal damnation — W.R.Inge >
  may connote more deeply a dire, malignant, hostile, or fearful character or aspect
  < the devastating weapons which are at present being developed may menace every part of the world — Clement Attlee >

  < the conviction that it was foreigners who menaced the American Way — Oscar Handlin >