Definitions for threaten
ˈθrɛt nthreat·en

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

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

   pose a threat to; present a danger to

   "The pollution is endangering the crops"

2. threatenverb

   to utter intentions of injury or punishment against:"He threatened me when I tried to call the police"

3. threatenverb

   to be a menacing indication of something:"The clouds threaten rain"

   "Danger threatens"

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. threatenverb

   To make a threat against someone; to use threats.

   He threatened me with a knife.

2. threatenverb

   To menace, or be dangerous.

   The rocks threatened the ship's survival.

3. threatenverb

   To portend, or give a warning.

   The black clouds threatened heavy rain.

4. Etymology: From þreaten or þreten, from þrēatian.

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. To Threat, To Threatenverb

   threat is seldom used but in poetry.

   Etymology: þreatian , Saxon:

   1. To menace; to denounce evil.

   Death to be wish’d
   Though threaten’d, which no worse than this can bring. John Milton.

   2. To menace; to terrify, or attempt to terrify, by denouncing evil.

   What threat you me with telling of the king?
   Tell him and spare not. William Shakespeare, Richard III.

   That it spread no further, straitly threaten them that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. Acts iv. 18.

   The void profound
   Wide gaping, and with utter loss of being
   Threatens him. John Milton.

   Æneas their assault undaunted did abide,
   And thus to Lausus, loud with friendly threat’ning cry’d. John Dryden, Virgil.

   This day black omens threat the brightest fair,
   That e’er deserv’d a watchful spirit’s care. Alexander Pope.

   3. To menace by action.

   Void of fear,
   He threaten’d with his long protended spear. Dryden.

   The noise increases as the billows roar,
   When rowling from afar they threat the shore. Dryden.

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. threaten

   A threat is a communication of intent to inflict harm or loss on another person. Intimidation is a tactic used between conflicting parties to make the other timid or psychologically insecure for coercion or control. The act of intimidation for coercion is considered as a threat. Threatening or threatening behavior (or criminal threatening behavior) is the crime of intentionally or knowingly putting another person in fear of bodily injury. "Threat of harm generally involves a perception of injury...physical or mental damage...act or instance of injury, or a material and detriment or loss to a person."Some of the more common types of threats forbidden by law are those made with an intent to obtain a monetary advantage or to compel a person to act against their will. In most US states, it is an offense to threaten to (1) use a deadly weapon on another person; (2) injure another's person or property; or (3) injure another's reputation.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. threaten

   To threaten means to express an intention to inflict harm, injury, damage, or other hostile action on someone, often as a way of coercing or intimidating them. It can also refer to indicating or suggesting the possibility or likelihood of something undesirable or harmful happening in the future.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Threatenverb

   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

2. Threatenverb

   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

3. Threatenverb

   to use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance

Editors ContributionRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. threaten

   Warn someone strongly with the intention of harming them as a means to get something done.

   Don't threaten him so much, he might faint. My boss threatened me that if I dint do as he said, he will spoil my career.

   
   

   Submitted by anonymous on March 3, 2019  

British National Corpus

1. Verbs Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'threaten' in Verbs Frequency: #306

Usage in printed sourcesFrom: 

1. 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How to pronounce threaten?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say threaten in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of threaten in Chaldean Numerology is: 4

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of threaten in Pythagorean Numerology is: 1

Examples of threaten in a Sentence

1. President Barack Obama:

   This rule will provide the clarity and certainty businesses and industry need about which waters are protected by the Clean Water Act, and it will ensure polluters who knowingly threaten our waters can be held accountable.

2. The FBI:

   Working together, the FBI will identify, pursue, and impose costs and consequences on individuals, groups, or nation states who use cyber means to threaten the United States or U.S. interests.

3. The NAACP:

   The NAACP intends to aggressively and nimbly respond to the current climate of political unrest, as well as the assaults upon human and civil rights that threaten our very democracy, as only it can, to do so demands that the board of the NAACP ensure that organization has the right plan and the right leadership to address these 21st-century challenges.

4. Lindsey Graham:

   I don't know from where Leader McConnell gets Leader McConnell confidence President Donald Trump will not take action to interfere with this investigation, given the number of times in recent days Leader McConnell has tweeted or spoken directly or indirectly in ways that I think threaten the investigation led by Leader McConnell.

5. Zhou Qiang:

   (We must) increase the level of guidance for trials, and guide Xinjiang courts to harshly and quickly hear terror crime cases like those which threaten national security, damage ethnic unity and affect social stability.

Popularity rank by frequency of use

References

1. ^ Princeton's WordNet
   http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=threaten
2. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Threaten
3. ^ Samuel Johnson's Dictionary
   https://johnsonsdictionaryonline.com/views/search.php?term=threaten
4. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Threaten
5. ^ ChatGPT
   https://chat.openai.com
6. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/threaten
7. ^ Usage in printed sources
   https://books.google.com/ngrams/graph?content=threaten