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Origin and history of threaten

threaten(v.)

late 13c., thretenen, "use threats, attempt to influence by menacing, make intimidating actions," from Old English þreatnian "to threaten," from þreat (see threat). Related: Threatened; threatening. Threatened, specifically in reference to wild species in danger of extinction is by 1960. Earlier verb was threat, now archaic, from Old English þreatian.

also from late 13c.

Entries linking to threaten

threat(n.)

Middle English thret, threte, Northern thrat, from Old English þreat "crowd, troop, multitude" (senses now obsolete), also "oppression, coercion, menace," related to þreotan "to trouble, weary," from Proto-Germanic *thrautam (source also of Dutch verdrieten, German verdrießen "to vex").

According to Watkins this is from PIE *treud- "to push, press squeeze" (source also of Latin trudere "to press, thrust," Old Church Slavonic trudu "oppression," Middle Irish trott "quarrel, conflict," Middle Welsh cythrud "torture, torment, afflict").

From Middle English especially "a verbal menace." The sense of "conditional declaration of hostile intention" was in Old English.

threatening(adj.)

1520s, "portending no good; indicating or containing a threat," present-participle adjective from threat (v.). Related: Threateningly. In a Middle English glossary early 15c. Latin minax (adj.) is rendered by threati.

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    menace
    c. 1300, "declaration of hostile intent," also (early 14c.) "a threat or act of threatening," from Old French menace "menace, threat" (9c.), from Vulgar Latin minacia "threat, menace" (also source of Spanish amenaza, Italian minaccia), singular of Latin minaciæ "threatening thing
    throe
    to þrowian "to suffer"), from Proto-Germanic *thrawo (source also of Middle High German dro "threat," German drohen "to threaten...
    imminence
    imminens) "overhanging; impending," present participle of imminere "to overhang, lean towards," hence "be near to," also "threaten...
    imminent
    imminens) "overhanging; impending," present participle of imminere "to overhang, lean towards," hence "be near to," also "threaten...
    amenable
    the law), from "to" (see ad-) + mener "to lead," from Latin minare "to drive (cattle) with shouts," variant of minari "to threaten...
    demeanor
    "to guide, conduct; to live, dwell," from de- "completely" (see de-) + mener "to lead, direct," from Latin minari "to threaten...
    denounce
    .); "formally or publicly threaten to do" (1630s); "declare or proclaim to be cursed, wicked, or evil" (1660s)....
    bode
    Old English bodian "proclaim, announce; announce beforehand, foretell," from boda "messenger," probably from Proto-Germanic *budon- (source also of Old Saxon gibod, German gebot, Old Norse boð), from PIE root *bheudh- "be aware, make aware." With good or ill, "give a (good or bad
    betoken
    Middle English bitoknen "be a symbol or emblem of," from late Old English betacnian "to denote, to mean, signify; be a visible sign or emblem of," from be- + Old English tacnian "to signify," from tacn "sign" (see token) or directly from Proto-Germanic *taiknōjanan. It is atteste
    offer
    Middle English offeren, from Old English ofrian "to bring or put forward, to make a presentation, to show, exhibit;" also "to sacrifice, present something solemnly or worshipfully as a religious sacrifice, bring an oblation," from Latin offerre "to present, bestow, bring before"

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