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to alarm, as with the promise of something evil or disagreeable; to warn. Let us straitly threaten them, that they speak henceforth to no man in this name. Acts iv. 17.

One who threatens. Shak.

a. & n. from Threaten, v. -- Threat"en*ing*ly, adv. Threatening letters (Law), letters containing threats, especially those designed to extort money, or to obtain other property, by menaces; blackmailing letters.

An exclamation, expressive of surprise, pity, complaint, entreaty, contempt, threatening, delight, triumph, etc., according to the manner of utterance.

To surprise with apprehension of danger; to fill with anxiety in regard to threatening evil; to excite with sudden fear. Alarmed by rumors of military preparation. Macaulay.

An alarm from a real or threatened attack; a sudden attack; also, a bugle sound to give warning. "We have had an alert." Farrow. On the alert, on the lookout or watch against attack or danger; ready to act.

anthropopathic imagery by which the prophets often represent God as chiding, upbraiding, threatening. H. Rogers.

ree of violence, but without touching his person, as by lifting the fist, or a cane, in a threatening manner, or by striking at him, and missing him. If the blow aimed takes effect, it is a battery. Blackstone. Wharton. Practically, however, the word assault is used to include the battery. Mozley & W.…

the parts of his body are disposed; position assumed or studied to serve a purpose; as, a threatening attitude; an attitude of entreaty.

To bully; to threaten. [Low] T. Warton.

k or gloomy; as, a black night; the heavens black with clouds. I spy a black, suspicious, threatening cloud. Shak.

Having black eyebrows. Hence: Gloomy; dismal; threatening; forbidding. Shak. Dryden.

In a black manner; darkly, in color; gloomily; threateningly; atrociously. "Deeds so blackly grim and horrid." Feltham.

ily harm, as injury to reputation, distress of mind, etc.; as, to blackmail a merchant by threatening to expose an alleged fraud. [U. S.]

ly with violence and noise, as wind; to be windy and boisterous, as the weather. And ever-threatening storms Of Chaos blustering round. Milton.

Boastful and threatening behavior; a boastful menace. In spite of our host's bravado. Irving.

A noisy, blustering fellow, more insolent than courageous; one who is threatening and quarrelsome; an insolent, tyrannical fellow. Bullies seldom execute the threats they deal in. Palmerston.

an ox or a ram. [See Butt, n.] A snow-white steer before thine altar led, Butts with his threatening brows. Dryden.

That which has a dark, lowering, or threatening aspect; that which temporarily overshadows, obscures, or depresses; as, a cloud of sorrow; a cloud of war; a cloud upon the intellect.

A threat or threatening; a denunciation of punishment or vengeance. With terrible comminations to all them that did resist. I. Taylor.