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threatening

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Alternative forms

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Pronunciation

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  • enPR: thrĕt′ənĭŋ, IPA(key): /ˈθɹɛt.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • Audio (US):(file)
  • Hyphenation: threat‧en‧ing

Etymology 1

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From Middle English thretenyng, þreteninde, equivalent to threaten +‎ -ing.

Verb

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threatening

  1. present participle and gerund of threaten

Adjective

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threatening (comparative more threatening, superlative most threatening)

  1. Presenting a threat, posing a likely risk of harm.
    Never turn your back to someone who is displaying threatening behavior.
  2. Making threats, making statements about a willingness to cause harm.
Synonyms
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Hypernyms
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Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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From Middle English thretenyng, thretnynge, þretnynge, equivalent to threaten +‎ -ing.

Noun

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threatening (countable and uncountable, plural threatenings)

  1. An act of threatening; a threat.