threaten: Meaning and Definition of

threat•en

Pronunciation: (thret'n), [key]
— v.t.
  1. to utter a threat against; menace: He threatened the boy with a beating.
  2. to be a menace or source of danger to: Sickness threatened her peace of mind.
  3. to offer (a punishment, injury, etc.) by way of a threat: They threatened swift retaliation.
  4. to give an ominous indication of: The clouds threaten rain.
—v.i.
  1. to utter or use threats.
  2. to indicate impending evil or mischief.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
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