51³Ô¹Ï

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View synonyms for

threat

[thret]

noun

  1. a declaration of an intention or determination to inflict punishment, injury, etc., in retaliation for, or conditionally upon, some action or course.

    His family convinced him to take the anonymous threats seriously and call the police.

  2. an indication or warning of probable trouble, or of being at risk for something terrible.

    The threat of a storm was in the air.

    He confessed under the threat of imprisonment.

  3. a person or thing that threatens.

    Her attorney will try to convince the judge that she is not a threat to herself or others.



verb (used with or without object)

  1. Archaic.Ìýto threaten.

    Do you dare to accuse and threat within my very home?

threat

/ θ°ùÉ›³Ù /

noun

  1. a declaration of the intention to inflict harm, pain, or misery

  2. an indication of imminent harm, danger, or pain

  3. a person or thing that is regarded as dangerous or likely to inflict pain or misery

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. an archaic word for threaten

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged†2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51³Ô¹Ï Forms

  • counterthreat noun
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of threat1

First recorded before 900; Middle English noun thret(e) “crowd, multitude, verbal menace,†Old English ³Ù³ó°ùŧ²¹³Ù “crowd, pressure, oppression, punishmentâ€; cognate with Old Norse thraut “hardship, great struggleâ€; verb from the noun; threaten ( def. )
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51³Ô¹Ï History and Origins

Origin of threat1

Old English; related to Old Norse thraut, Middle Low German »å°ùųÙ
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Idioms and Phrases

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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

The shooting comes amid a rise in politically motivated threats and violence across the country.

From

The government has already promised it will spend more - a lot more - on protecting the country in the face of all those threats.

From

A housekeeper with a modest income, she was slowly bled for more than $100,000 through a mix of false assurances and threats.

From

However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the operation was necessary to "roll back the Iranian threat to Israel's very survival".

From

Beyond Israel's stated goal of destroying what it calls an existential threat from Iran's nuclear capabilities with its attacks on Friday, Benjamin Netanyahu has a wider aim - regime change in Tehran.

From

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When To Use

What doesÌýthreat mean?

A threat is a statement indicating that you will cause harm to or create some other kind of negative consequences for someone, especially to pressure them to do something or not to do something.Many threats involve a promise to physically harm someone in retaliation for what they have done or might do. A bank robber who says he’ll shoot the bank teller if they don’t hand over the money is making a threat. Telling a bully that you’ll punch them if they don’t stop bothering your little brother is a threat. A death threat involves telling someone that they will be killed. Some threats are simply meant to intimidate, and don’t involve pressuring someone to do something.Not all threats involve violence. Telling your neighbor that you’re going to file a lawsuit if they don’t repair your fence that they broke is a threat.The word threat can also refer to someone or something that may potentially cause harm or damage. A hurricane is a threat to people and buildings in its path. A disease is a threat to your health. A security threat is someone or something that might make a situation unsafe. A person who may be able to beat someone in a competition might be called a threat, such as in sports or politics.Threat can also mean a warning or sign that harm or trouble is coming, as in The news was seen as a threat of problems in the very near future. The verb threaten means to make a threat, as in Don’t you dare threaten me! It can also mean to be a source of potential harm or damage, as in This recession threatens our livelihoods, or to indicate potential harm or trouble, as in It is threatening to storm out there. The adjective threatening is used to describe someone or something that causes alarm, intimidates, or is intended to intimidate, as in You look very threatening in that costume. Example: The rowdy students immediately started to behave in response to the teacher’s threat of calling their parents.

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