presentiment Hear it!

presentiment Definition

pre·sen·ti·ment (prē zent′ə mənt, pri-)

noun

a feeling that something, esp. of an unfortunate or evil nature, is about to take place; foreboding

Etymology: MFr < pressentir, to have a presentiment of < L praesentire: see pre- & sentiment

presentiment Synonyms

presentiment

n.

expectation, apprehension, intuition, premonition; see anticipation 2.

presentiment Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • evil: I went below -- not without a full presentiment of evil.

Converse of object

  • have: It can be a condition for some people to have a presentiment of events which may take place.
  • feel: She had felt an early presentiment that she _should_ like the eldest best.

Adjective modifier

  • overblown: Browning's work is prescient - modern, cool, adroit, in contrast to someone like Byron who is all overblown presentiment.
  • dark: This is a dark presentiment of things to come, I fear.