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threat definition

threat (t̸hret)

noun

  1. an expression of intention to hurt, destroy, punish, etc., as in retaliation or intimidation
    1. an indication of imminent danger, harm, evil, etc. the threat of war
    2. a potential source of this

Etymology: ME threte < OE threat, a throng, painful pressure, akin to Ger (ver)driessen, to grieve, annoy < IE *treud-, to push, press (prob. < base *ter-, to rub) > L trudere, to thrust

transitive verb, intransitive verb

Obsolete threaten

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Alternate definitions:

idioms threat idiom

law threat definition - legal

threat Synonyms

threat

n.

menace, peril, fulmination, intimidation; see warning.


Webster's New World Roget's A-Z Thesaurus Copyright © 1999 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

threat Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • terrorism: But the threat of terrorism is not the only abyss into which we peer.

Preposition: from

  • terrorism: SUMMARY Denmark shares with the rest of Europe a threat from international terrorism.

Converse of object

  • pose: At the same time there is a threat posed to human freedom by the enormous power of the modern state.

Adjective modifier

  • terrorist: I liked your proposal to the terrorist threat, Elaine.

Noun used with modifier

  • missile: Correspondents say North Korea may be using the missile threat to try to break the deadlock.
threat usage examples (more)

The word usage examples above have been gathered from various sources to reflect current and historical usage. They do not represent the opinions of YourDictionary.com.

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MLA Style

"threat." Webster's New World College Dictionary. 2009

  • Your Dictionary. 5 July 2009
  • <www.yourdictionary.com/threat>

APA Style

threat. (2009). In Webster's New World College Dictionary

  • Retrieved July 5th, 2009, from www.yourdictionary.com/threat

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