threaten
gb/θɹˈɛtən/ us/θɹˈɛtən/
B1
Engleză
~ 1500
fenyeget, veszélyeztet
VERB
B1
1
fenyeget
B1
Tipar de utilizare:
to threaten [someone/something] with [something]
He threatened to call the police if they didn’t leave.
Azzal fenyegetőzött, hogy hívja a rendőrséget, ha nem mennek el.
The company threatened legal action over the copyright violation.
A cég jogi lépésekkel fenyegetett a szerzői jog megsértése miatt.
She threatened him with a knife.
They threatened to cancel the event unless security was improved.
The government threatened sanctions against the country.
Exemple pentru cursanți
He threatened to hit me.
Azzal fenyegetett, hogy megüt.
The boss threatened to fire her.
A főnöke azzal fenyegette, hogy kirúgja.
She threatened him with a gun.
They threatened to stop the project.
He threatened to tell the teacher.
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners sometimes confuse 'threaten' with 'warn'. 'Warn' is to tell someone about danger to help them, while 'threaten' is to say you will cause the danger.
Sens
State intent to harm
Colocații
threaten violence
|threaten legal action
|threaten someone with
|threaten to kill
|threaten sanctions
Sinonime
menace (Slightly more formal or literary term for making a threat.)
Antonime
reassure (To comfort someone by removing fear or concern.)
Teme
crime
|conflict
|communication
|emotions
|law
|core_vocabulary
Definiție
To say or show you will hurt someone or something.
To express an intention to cause harm, damage, or punishment to someone or something.
VERB
B1
2
veszélyeztet
B2
fenyeget
B1
Tipar de utilizare:
[something] threatens [something]
Rising sea levels threaten coastal cities.
Az emelkedő tengerszint veszélyezteti a tengerparti városokat.
The disease threatens the lives of millions.
A betegség milliók életét veszélyezteti.
His reckless driving threatens everyone on the road.
The storm threatens to delay the flight.
Pollution threatens marine ecosystems.
Exemple pentru cursanți
The fire threatens the forest.
A tűz veszélyezteti az erdőt.
The storm threatens the town.
A vihar fenyegeti a várost.
The new law threatens small businesses.
The virus threatens many people.
The flood threatens the village.
Greșeală frecventă:
Learners may think this meaning always involves a person speaking. Here it can be about things or situations causing danger without intent.
Sens
Indicate possible danger
Colocații
threaten stability
|threaten survival
|threaten health
|threaten jobs
|threaten peace
Sinonime
endanger (Focuses on putting someone or something at risk rather than expressing intent.)
Antonime
protect (To keep safe from harm or danger.)
Teme
nature
|risk
|safety
|core_vocabulary
Definiție
To seem like it might cause harm soon.
To appear likely to cause harm, damage, or trouble in the near future.
Gramatică
Forma de dicționar
threaten
IPA
GB/θɹˈɛtən/
US/θɹˈɛtən/
Silabe și accent
threaten (1 silabă)
Stress on 1st syllable (threaten)
Forme ale cuvântului
Verb
- Base: threaten
- 3rd Person Singular: threatens
- Present Participle: threatening
- Past: threatened
Familie de cuvinte
Forms
threatens
verb
threatening
verb
threatened
verb
Core family
threat
noun B1
Related words
threateningly
adverb
Negative and opposite forms
unthreatening
adjective
Expresii
threaten someone with something
1/θɹˈɛtən sˈʌmwˌʌn wˈɪθ sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Say you will harm using something
To say you will use something to hurt someone or cause trouble.
Exemple
- He threatened her with a knife.
- The company threatened them with legal action.
threaten to do something
1/θɹˈɛtən tə dˈu sˈʌmθɪŋ/
fixed phrase
Say you will do harm
To say you will do something bad if someone does not do what you want.
Exemple
- She threatened to quit if her pay wasn’t increased.
- They threatened to call the police when he refused to leave.