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Words, grammatical forms and meanings linked to the ontology.

threatening en · ADJ · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ˈθɹɛt.nɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛʔ.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈθɹɛt.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛtə.nɪŋ/
  • thrĕt′ənĭŋ

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. Presenting a threat, posing a likely risk of harm.
    • Fie, fie, vnknit that thretaning vnkinde brovv, / And dart not ſcornefull glances from thoſe eies, / To vvound thy Lord, thy King, thy Gouernour. c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Taming of the Shrew”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 229, column 1:
    • Never turn your back to someone who is displaying threatening behavior.
  2. Making threats, making statements about a willingness to cause harm.

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
more threatening Degree=Cmp lexicographic
most threatening Degree=Sup lexicographic
threatning alternative lexicographic

Deriveds

threateningly · non-threatening · unthreatening · life-threatening · nonthreatening · threateningness

Hypernyms

frightening

Synonyms

menacing · minacious · ominous · threatensome · forbidding · threatful · baleful

Translations (31)

be пагража́льны (presenting a threat) · la minitābundus (presenting a threat) · mk закану́вачки (presenting a threat) · bg заплашителен (presenting a threat) · pl arcygroźny (presenting a threat) · mi whakawehiwehi (presenting a threat) · fi uhkaava (presenting a threat) · mi whakahakahaka (presenting a threat) · uk погро́зливий (presenting a threat) · be пагро́злівы (presenting a threat) · sv hotfull (presenting a threat) · fr menaçant (presenting a threat) · ro amenințător (presenting a threat) · uk загро́зливий (presenting a threat) · pdt dreiwent (presenting a threat) · mi whakawetiweti (presenting a threat) · mi hākiwakiwa (presenting a threat) · nb truende (presenting a threat) · ca amenaçador (presenting a threat) · ru угрожа́ющий (presenting a threat) · la minax (presenting a threat) · cmn 威脅的 /威胁的 (presenting a threat) · mi takareko (presenting a threat) · mi pōkerekere (presenting a threat) · el απειλητικός (presenting a threat) · nn trugande (presenting a threat) · pt ameaçador (presenting a threat) · mi pōrukuruku (presenting a threat) · de drohend (presenting a threat) · grc ἀπειλητικός (presenting a threat) · mi paroro (presenting a threat)

threatening en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

  • /ˈθɹɛt.nɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛʔ.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈθɹɛt.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛtə.nɪŋ/
  • thrĕt′ənĭŋ

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (form-of, gerund, participle, present) present participle and gerund of threaten
    form of threaten

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
threatning alternative lexicographic

threatening en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

  • /ˈθɹɛt.nɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛʔ.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • (US) audio
  • /ˈθɹɛt.n̩.ɪŋ/
  • /ˈθɹɛtə.nɪŋ/
  • thrĕt′ənĭŋ

Etymology

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

Meanings

  1. (countable, uncountable) An act of threatening; a threat.
    • And nowe lorde beholde their threatenyngꝭ / and graunte vnto thy ſervauntꝭ wyth all confydence to ſpeake thy worde. 1526, [William Tyndale, transl.], The Newe Testamẽt […] (Tyndale Bible), [Worms, Germany: Peter Schöffer], →OCLC, Acts iiij:[29], folio clix, recto:
    • In Mr. J. C. Hotten’s Life, and in Mr. A. W. Ward’s admirable monograph in the “English Men of Letters” Series, a paper of mine called “Pincher Astray” is attributed to Dickens. Edmund Yates (1884), “A Dickens Chapter”, in Edmund Yates: His Recollections and Experiences, volume II, London: Richard Bentley and Son, page 111:

Forms

SpellingFeaturesLabelsSource
threatenings Number=Plur lexicographic
threatning alternative lexicographic