threatening (thretning)

[ They constrain him not with threatenings to di emble his mind, and shew countenance contrary to his thought. Sir T. More, Utopia (tr. by Robinson), ii. 11. threatening (thret'ning), p . a. 1. Indicating or containing a threat or menace. The threatening alliance between Science and the Revolution is not really directed in favor of atheism nor against theology. J. R. Seeley, Nat. Religion, p. 41. 2. Indicating some impending evil; specifically, indicating rain or snow. Threatening letters, in law: (a) Letters threatening to publish a libel with a view to extort money. (b) Letters demanding money or other property with menaces. (c) Letters threatening to accuse any person of a crime, for the purpose of extorting money. (d) Letters threatening to kill a person. The precise definition of what facts constitute a penal offense in this respect varies much with the law in different jurisdictions. Syn. 1. Menacing, minatory. threateningly (thret'ning-li), adv. With a threat or menace; in a threatening manner. threatful (thret'fül), a. Full of threats; havin ance. [Rare.] [ threat + -ful . ]; having a menacing appear He his threat full speare Gan fewter, and against her fiercely ran. Spenser, F. Q., IV. vi. 10. Every day this wal they wolde threte. Chaucer , Good Women, 1. 754. Some crye upon God, some other threpe that he hat he for go ten theym. Bp. Fisher , Sermons. ( Latham .) 5. To call; term. Sol gold is, and Luna silver we threpe . Chaucer, Prol. to Canon's Yeoman's Tale, 1. 273. II. in trans. 1. To indulge in mutual recrimination or contradiction; contend; quarrel; bandy words; dispute. Thei thaste hym full thraly, than was ther no threpyng , Thus with dole was that dere vn-to dede dight, His bak and his body was bolned for betyng, Itt was, I saie the for soth, a so row full sight. K. Phi . Look to thyself, thou art in jeopardy. K. John. No more than he that threats . Shak., K. John, iii. 1. 347. "Twere wrong with Rome, when Cat i line and thou Do threat , if Cato feared. B. Jonson, Cat i line, iii. 1. [Obsolete or archaic in all senses.] threaten (thret'n), v. [ thretnen ; An eye like Mars, to threaten and command. Shak., Hamlet, iii. 4. 57. It's not for a man with a woman to threepe. 2. To fight; battle. Take Thine old Cloak about Thee . Than thretty dayes throly the i thrappit in feld, And mony bold in the bekur were on bent leu it! Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 8362. [Obsolete or prov. Eng. or Scotch in all uses.] threap, threep (thrēp), n. [ threp ; What! thinke ye so throly this threpe for to leue? Heyue vp your herttes, henttes your armys; Wackyns vp your willes, as worthy men shuld. Destruction of Troy (E. E. T. S.), 1. 9850. 21. Contradiction.-3. A vehement or pertinacious affirmation; an obstinate decision or determination. [Prov. Eng. and Scotch.] You would show more patience, and perhaps more prudence, if you sought not to overwork me by shrewd words and sharp threaps of Scripture. T. Cromwell, quoted in R. W. Dixon's Hist. Church [of Eng., vii. He has taken a threap that he would have it finished before the year was done. Carlyle. 4. A superstitious idea or notion; a freet. I have long waited to answer your kind letter of August 20th, in hopes of having something satisfactory to write to you; but I have waited in vain, for every day our political horizon blackens and threatens more and more. T. A. Mann (Ellis's Lit. Letters, p. 437). II. trans. 1. To declare an intention of doing mischief to or of bringing evil on; use threats toward; ard; menace; terrify, or attempt to terrify, by menaces: with with before the evil threat IMG:content-0318.png:[blocks in formation] To keep one's threap, to stick pertinaciously or obstinately to one's averments or a ertions. Scott, Bride of Lammer moor, xxvii.