Meaning of threat in English

Table of contents

Noun
threat
Etymology
Old English thrēat ‘oppression’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch verdrieten‘grieve’, German verdriessen‘irritate’
Definitions
1. something that is a source of danger
Examples
- « earthquakes are a constant threat in Japan »
Derived terms
2. a warning that something unpleasant is imminent
Examples
- « they were under threat of arrest »
3. declaration of an intention or a determination to inflict harm on another
Examples
- « his threat to kill me was quite explicit »
4. a person who inspires fear or dread
Examples
- « he was the terror of the neighborhood »

Famous quotes

« In the Pentagon Papers case, the government asserted in the Supreme Court that the publication of the material was a threat to national security. It turned out it was not a threat to U.S. security. But even if it had been, that doesn't mean that it couldn't be published. »
Alan Dershowitz
« I went to dance classes from 9 in the morning until 1, then to school from 3 to 10 at night, always under the threat that if I failed a single course I could forget about dancing. »
Victoria Abril
« What Clinton did with Lewinsky was despicable but was no threat to the nation. That he lied about it repeatedly and to the public is a reason for us to cease to trust him and for him to resign. »
Donella Meadows
« In today's interdependent world, a threat to one becomes a menace to all. And no state can defeat these challenges and threats alone. »
Michelle Bachelet
« I think when you're 10 years old, it's too much to see something with the threat of death in every episode. Kids are better left naive about certain things. »
J. J. Abrams