1. vt. & vi.威胁　 express a threat against
2. vi.可能会来临　 (of danger, etc.) seem likely to happen or come

　～ country　威胁着国家
　～ crop　危害庄稼
　～ life　威胁着生存
　～ town　威胁城镇
　～ rain　预示有雨
　～ storm　预示着风暴
　～ bitterly　极为失望地威胁
　～ constantly　不断地威胁
　～ directly　直接威胁
　～ direfully　可怕地威胁
　～ seriously　严重地威胁
　～ viciously　恶毒地威胁
　～ with　用…来威胁，受到…的威胁

　They entreated and threatened, but all this seemed of no avail.　他们时而恳求，时而威胁，但这一切看来都无用。
　Knowing that danger threatened the sentry kept an extra careful watch.　由于知道随时可能发生危险，那个哨兵格外加强了戒备。
　While danger threatens we must all take care.　当有危险的时候，我们都得小心谨慎。
　In the swift the day before that year's wheat harvest, a rainstorm threatened.　在那一年麦收的前一天，一场暴雨眼看就要来临。

　The boss threatened to fire her.　老板威胁要开除她。
　They threatened to discontinue buying it.　他们威胁说要终止这桩买卖。
　The killer threatened to murder me if I didn't obey.　这个杀手威胁我说，如果我不照他的话做，他就把我干掉。
　The house threatened to topple over on them.　房子有倒塌压着他们的危险。

　Whatever you do, don't threaten people.　无论如何，你也不要去威胁别人。
　Danger threatens us on every side.　我们危机四伏。
　Flood are threatening the town.　洪水正在危及这个城镇。
　The drought threatened the whole crop.　干旱威胁着所有的庄稼。
　The clouds threatened the rain.　这层云预示有雨。

　He threatened that he would make it public.　他威胁说要公开那件事。
　Her father threatened that he would turn her out of doors.　她的父亲声言要赶她出门。

　"Tell me who?" threatened the man.　那人威胁着说：“告诉我是谁?”

　The landlord threatened his tenants that he would expel them unless they paid him within a week.　房东威胁房客说，如果一周内不付房费给他，将把他们赶走。

 ♣ threaten with　(v.+prep.)
　用…来威胁…，受到…的威胁　promise harm to (sb) by means of or in the form of (sth)
　The woman was threatening him with a revolver.　那女人正用手枪威胁他。
　The manager threatened his employee with dismissal.　经理威胁他的雇员说要解雇他。
　They threatened me with violence.　他们用暴力来威胁我。
　He was threatened with death.　他受到了死亡的威胁。
　The group's members were threatened with imprisonment.　这个组织的成员面临着被监禁的危险。

 ♣ threaten, menace
　这组词的共同意思是“威胁，恐吓”。其区别是：threaten指如不服从将会有严重后果，以此相威胁，迫使别人干某事或不许别人干某事；menace多指用目光、行动或武器等对别人进行恐吓。