threat

threat

W2S2 [θret] n

[: Old English;]

1.) [U and C]

a statement in which you tell someone that you will cause them harm or trouble if they do not do what you want

▪ Your threats don't scare me.

threat of

▪ the threat of military invasion

threat from

▪ He says his family received phone threats from the group.

▪ threats made against his wife and children

▪ Nichols never carried out his threat to resign.

▪ The government will not give in to terrorist threats .

▪ She dismissed the statement as an empty threat .

▪ They warned him with veiled threats not to mention anything he had witnessed.

▪ The police are investigating death threats made against the two men.

▪ Officials at the school say they received a bomb threat at approximately 11:30 a.m. today.

2.) [C usually singular]

the possibility that something very bad will happen

threat of

▪ the threat of famine

threat from

▪ According to the Secretary of State, the Russians face no threat from an expanded NATO.

under threat

▪ The area remains under threat from commercial developers.

be under threat of closure/attack etc

(=be likely to be closed, attacked etc)

▪ The program is under threat of closure due to lack of funding.

3.) [C usually singular]

someone or something that is regarded as a possible danger

threat to

▪ The fighting is a major threat to stability in the region.

present/pose a threat (to sb/sth)

▪ Pollution poses a threat to fish.

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COLLOCATES for sense 1

make/issue a threat (against somebody)

carry out a threat (=do what you have threatened to do)

give in to a threat (=do what someone wants you to do because they threaten you)

empty/idle threat (=false threat)

veiled threat (=one that is not made directly)

death threat

bomb threat

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