/ Dictionary / Index T threaten: Meaning and Definition of Find definitions for: threat•en Pronunciation: (thret'n), [key] — v.t. to utter a threat against; menace: He threatened the boy with a beating. to be a menace or source of danger to: Sickness threatened her peace of mind. to offer (a punishment, injury, etc.) by way of a threat: They threatened swift retaliation. to give an ominous indication of: The clouds threaten rain. —v.i. to utter or use threats. to indicate impending evil or mischief. Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease. See also: threaten (Thesaurus) threat threatened species Related Content Daily Word Quiz: impetuous Analogy of the Day: Today’s Analogy Spelling Bee: Today’s Spelling Bee Frequently Misspelled Words Frequently Mispronounced Words Easily Confused Words Writing & Language