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menace

men·ace

menace

 
 
pronunciation:
me nihs
parts of speech:
noun, transitive verb, intransitive verb
features:
Word Combinations (noun, verb), Word History
part of speech: noun
definition: that which poses a danger or threatens injury or harm; threat.
Wild dogs have become a menace in the village.The famous gangster Al Capone was considered a menace to society.Members of the temperance movement considered alcohol a menace.
synonyms:
danger, peril, threat
similar words:
hazard, jeopardy, pitfall, risk, specter, sword of Damocles, time bomb
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
 
part of speech: transitive verb
inflections: menaces, menacing, menaced
definition 1: to direct a threat of harm or injury against; threaten.
We heard the bullies menacing the new kid.
synonyms:
threaten
similar words:
alarm, browbeat, bully, cow, frighten, intimidate, scare, terrify, terrorize
definition 2: to put in danger of harm of injury; endanger.
They believe the new laws will menace their freedoms.Drugs are menacing our community.
synonyms:
endanger, imperil
similar words:
hazard, jeopardize, peril, risk
 
part of speech: intransitive verb
definition: to make a threat or threats.
synonyms:
threaten
similar words:
bully
Word CombinationsSubscriber feature About this feature
derivations: menacingly (adv.), menacer (n.)
Word History
Menace comes from a Latin word that means both "threats" and "points that stick out."