threat
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- United Kingdom//θɹɛt//
- Australia//θɹet//
- Ireland//tɹɛt//
- Scotland//θɾɛt//
- //fɹɛt//
An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
noun
- 1
An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats.
- 2
An indication of potential or imminent danger.
Verifying and addressing actual threats is not paranoia.
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.
Taiwan is monitoring what it called "abnormal" changes to China's military leadership after its most senior general was put under investigation, and will not lower its guard as the threat level remains high, the defence minister said on Monday.
- 3
A person or object that is regarded as a danger; a menace.
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.
Japan applauds NATO’s identification of China as a threat in the Strategic Concept. The document notes that China poses “systemic challenges” and declared the “deepening strategic partnership” between Moscow and Beijing as one of its main priorities. Significantly, it explained that developments in distant theaters can “directly affect” trans-Atlantic security.
Etymology
From Middle English threte, thret, thrat, thræt, threat, from Old English þrēat (“crowd, swarm, troop, army, press; pressure, trouble, calamity, oppression, force, violence, threat”), from Proto-Germanic *þrautaz, closely tied to Proto-Germanic *þrautą (“displeasure, complaint, grievance, labour, toil”), from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to squeeze, push, press”). Cognate with Scots thret, threte, threit (“threat”), Middle High German drōz (“annoyance, disgust, horror, terror, fright”), Middle Low German drōt (“threat, menace, danger”), Faroese treyt (“struggle, labour, distress”), Icelandic þraut (“struggle, labour, distress”), Belarusian, Bulgarian, Macedonian, Russian, and Ukrainian труд (trud, “work, labour”), Czech trud (“effot, hard work”), Polish trud (“hard work”), Serbo-Croatian trȗd (“effort, hard work”).
verb
- 1
To press; urge; compel.
- 2
archaicTo threaten.
An hideous Geant horrible and hye, / That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye […]
What? threat you me with telling of the King? I will auoucht’t in preſence of the King: I dare aduenture to be ſent to th’Towre.
O yes, and soundless too; / For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, / And very wisely threat before you sting.
- 3
To use threats; act or speak menacingly; threaten.
Etymology
From Middle English threten, from Old English þrēatian (“to press, oppress, repress, correct, threaten”), derived from Proto-Indo-European *trewd- (“to squeeze, push, press”). Cognate with Scots threit (“to threaten”), Dutch verdrieten (“to sadden, displease”), Middle Low German drēten (“to threaten”), German verdrießen (“to bother, vex”), Faroese tróta (“to run out”), Icelandic þrjóta (“to run out, end”), Norwegian tryte (“to run out, end”), Swedish tryda (“to run out”), Gothic 𐌿𐍃𐌸𐍂𐌹𐌿𐍄𐌰𐌽 (usþriutan, “to harass, torment”), Latin trūdō (“to push”), Albanian ndrydh (“to sprain, supress, withdraw”), Belarusian трудзіць (trudzicʹ, “to burden, tire”), Bulgarian тру̀дя (trùdja, “to work”), Czech trudit (“to toil, worry”), Polish trudzić (“to toil, worry”), Russian труди́ть (trudítʹ, “to burden, tire”), Serbo-Croatian trúditi (“to try, make and effot”), Ukrainian труди́ти (trudýty, “to toil, tire”).
Forms
- plural
- threats
- past tense
- threated
- past participle
- threated
- present participle
- threating
- third person singular
- threats
threat · An expression of intent to injure or punish another.
Threat · A surname.threaten · To make a threat against someone; to use threats.threatened · At risk of becoming endangered in the near future.