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Threaten to Thrips
Threaten
(Threat"en) v. t. [imp. & p. p. Threatened ; p. pr. & vb. n. Threatening.] [OE. þretenen.
See Threat, v. t.]
1. To utter threats against; to menace; to inspire with apprehension; to alarm, or attempt 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. 2. To exhibit the appearance of (something evil or unpleasant) as approaching; to indicate as impending; to
announce the conditional infliction of; as, to threaten war; to threaten death. Milton.
The skies look grimly
And threaten present blusters. Shak. Syn. — To menace. — Threaten, Menace. Threaten is Anglo-Saxon, and menace is Latin. As often
happens, the former is the more familiar term; the latter is more employed in formal style. We are threatened
with a drought; the country is menaced with war.
By turns put on the suppliant and the lord:
Threatened this moment, and the next implored. Prior.
Of the sharp ax
Regardless, that o'er his devoted head
Hangs menacing. Somerville. Threaten
(Threat"en), v. i. To use threats, or menaces; also, to have a threatening appearance.
Though the seas threaten, they are merciful. Shak. Threatener
(Threat"en*er) n. One who threatens. Shak.
Threatening
(Threat"en*ing), 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.
Threatful
(Threat"ful) a. Full of threats; having a menacing appearance. Spenser. — Threat"ful*ly,
adv.
Threave
(Threave) n. Same as Thrave. [Obs.]
Three
(Three) a. [OE. þre, þreo, þri, AS. þri, masc., þreó, fem. and neut.; akin to OFries. thre, OS. thria,
threa, D. drie, G. drei, OHG. dri, Icel. þrir, Dan. & Sw. tre, Goth. þreis, Lith. trys, Ir., Gael. & W.
tri, Russ. tri, L. tres, Gr. trei^s, Skr. tri. &radic301. Cf. 3d Drilling, Tern, a., Third, Thirteen,
Thirty, Tierce, Trey, Tri-, Triad, Trinity, Tripod.] One more than two; two and one. "I offer thee three
things." 2 Sam. xxiv. 12.
Three solemn aisles approach the shrine. Keble. Three is often joined with other words, forming compounds signifying divided into, composed of, or
containing, three parts, portions, organs, or the like; as, three-branched, three-capsuled, three-celled,
three-cleft, three-edged, three-foot, three- footed, three-forked, three-grained, three-headed, three-
legged, three-mouthed, three-nooked, three-petaled, three-pronged, three-ribbed, three-seeded,
three-stringed, three-toed, and the like.
Three
(Three), n.
1. The number greater by a unit than two; three units or objects.
2. A symbol representing three units, as 3 or iii.
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