Word definition: threat

Etimology


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”), whence also Middle Low German drōt (“threat, menace, danger”), Middle High German drōz (“annoyance, disgust, horror, terror, fright”), Icelandic þraut (“struggle, labour, distress”), Latin trūdō (“push”, verb).

noun


threat (plural threats)

An expression of intent to injure or punish another.

An indication of potential or imminent danger.

A person or object that is regarded as a danger; a menace.

Examples


There is no terror, Cassius, in your threats.

At the height of the crisis, according to a retired SAC wing commander, SAC airborne alert bombers deliberately flew past their turnaround points toward Soviet airspace, an unambiguous threat which Soviet radar operators would certainly have recognized and reported. "I knew what my target was," the SAC general adds: "Leningrad." The bombers only turned around when the Soviet freighters carrying missiles to Cuba stopped dead in the Atlantic.

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.

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.

Related words


related terms

threaten

threatening

Etimology


From Middle English threten, from Old English þrēatian (“to press, oppress, repress, correct, threaten”). Akin to Middle Dutch drōten (“to threaten”).

verb


threat (third-person singular simple present threats, present participle threating, simple past and past participle threated)

(transitive) To press; urge; compel.

(transitive, archaic) To threaten.

(intransitive) To use threats; act or speak menacingly; threaten.

Examples


An hideous Geant horrible and hye, / That with his talnesse seemd to threat the skye […]

O yes, and soundless too; / For you have stolen their buzzing, Antony, / And very wisely threat before you sting.

Data provided by Wiktionary