threat
Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary
Contents
English[edit]
Etymology[edit]
Old English þrēat (“crowd, army”).
Pronunciation[edit]
Noun[edit]
threat (plural threats)
- An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
- William Shakespeare
- There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats.
- William Shakespeare
- An indication of imminent danger.
- 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
- Many genes with reproductive roles also have antibacterial and immune functions, which indicate that the threat of microbial attack on the sperm or egg may be a major influence on rapid evolution during reproduction.
- 2013 May-June, Katrina G. Claw, “Rapid Evolution in Eggs and Sperm”, American Scientist, volume 101, number 3:
- A person or object that is regarded as a danger; a menace.
- 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, BBC:
- Rooney's United team-mate Chris Smalling was given his debut at right-back and was able to adjust to the international stage in relatively relaxed fashion as Bulgaria barely posed a threat of any consequence.
- 2011 September 2, Phil McNulty, “Bulgaria 0-3 England”, BBC:
Related terms[edit]
Translations[edit]
expression of intent to injure or punish another
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indication of imminent danger
person regarded as a danger
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Translations to be checked
Verb[edit]
threat (third-person singular simple present threats, present participle threating, simple past and past participle threated)
- (archaic) To threaten.
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.vii:
- An hideous Geant horrible and hye, / That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye [...].
- 1590, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie Queene, I.vii:
