noun

1. a threat or the act of threatening
2. anything threatening harm or evil
3. Informal a person who is a nuisance

Etymology: OFr < L minacia < minax (gen. minacis), projecting, threatening < minari, to threaten < minae, threats, orig. projecting points of walls < IE base *men-, to project > Cornish meneth, mountain

transitive verb, intransitive verb menaced -·aced, menacing -·ac·ing