Adjacent Words

Menace definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

MEN'ACE, v.t. [L. minor.]
1. To threaten; to express or show a disposition or determination to inflict punishment or other evil. The combined powers menaced France with war on every side.
2. To show or manifest the probability of future evil or danger to. The spirit of insubordination menaced Spain with the horrors of civil war.
3. To exhibit the appearance of any catastrophe to come; as, a hanging rock menaces a fall, or menaces the plain or the inhabitants below.
MEN'ACE, n. A threat or threatening; the declaration or show of a disposition or determination to inflict an evil; used of persons.
1. The show of a probable evil or catastrophe to come.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
1: something that is a source of danger; "earthquakes are a constant threat in Japan" [syn: menace, threat]
2: a threat or the act of threatening; "he spoke with desperate menace" v
1: pose a threat to; present a danger to; "The pollution is endangering the crops" [syn: endanger, jeopardize, jeopardise, menace, threaten, imperil, peril]
2: express a threat either by an utterance or a gesture; "he menaced the bank manager with a stick"
3: act in a threatening manner; "A menacing person"

Merriam Webster's

I. noun Etymology: Middle English manace, from Anglo-French manace, menace, from Latin minacia, from minac-, minax threatening, from minari to threaten — more at mount Date: 14th century 1. a show of intention to inflict harm ; threat 2. a. one that represents a threat ; danger b. a person who causes annoyance II. verb (menaced; menacing) Date: 14th century transitive verb 1. to make a show of intention to harm 2. to represent or pose a threat to ; endanger intransitive verb to act in a threatening manner • menacingly adverb

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. & v. --n. 1 a threat. 2 a dangerous or obnoxious thing or person. 3 joc. a pest, a nuisance. --v.tr. & intr. threaten, esp. in a malignant or hostile manner. Derivatives: menacer n. menacingly adv. Etymology: ME ult. f. L minax -acis threatening f. minari threaten

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Menace Men"ace, n. [F., fr. L. minaciae threats, menaces, fr. minax, -acis, projecting, threatening, minae projecting points or pinnacles, threats. Cf. Amenable, Demean, Imminent, Minatory.] The show of an intention to inflict evil; a threat or threatening; indication of a probable evil or catastrophe to come. His (the pope's) commands, his rebukes, his menaces. --Milman. The dark menace of the distant war. --Dryden.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Menace Men"ace, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Menaced ([=a]st); p. pr. & vb. n. Menacing.] [OF. menacier, F. menacer. See Menace, n.] 1. To express or show an intention to inflict, or to hold out a prospect of inflicting, evil or injury upon; to threaten; -- usually followed by with before the harm threatened; as, to menace a country with war. My master . . . did menace me with death. --Shak. 2. To threaten, as an evil to be inflicted. By oath he menaced Revenge upon the cardinal. --Shak.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Menace Men"ace, v. i. To act in threatening manner; to wear a threatening aspect. Who ever knew the heavens menace so? --Shak.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(menaces, menacing, menaced) 1. If you say that someone or something is a menace to other people or things, you mean that person or thing is likely to cause serious harm. In my view you are a menace to the public. ...the menace of fascism... = threat N-COUNT: usu sing, oft N to n, N of n 2. You can refer to someone or something as a menace when you want to say that they cause you trouble or annoyance. (INFORMAL) You're a menace to my privacy, Kenworthy... = nuisance N-COUNT: usu sing 3. Menace is a quality or atmosphere that gives you the feeling that you are in danger or that someone wants to harm you. ...a voice full of menace. N-UNCOUNT 4. If you say that one thing menaces another, you mean that the first thing is likely to cause the second thing serious harm. The European states retained a latent capability to menace Britain's own security. = threaten VERB: V n 5. If you are menaced by someone, they threaten to harm you. She's being menaced by her sister's latest boyfriend. = threaten VERB: be V-ed, also V n

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

I. v. a. 1. Threaten. 2. Threaten, intimidate, alarm. II. n. Threat, threatening.

Moby Thesaurus

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