| 释义 |
▪ I. threat, n.|θrɛt|
Forms: 1–3 þreat, (1 ðreot(t, ðreatt), 2 þreatt, 3 þræt, 3–4 þrat, 4 þret, thrett, 4–5 þret(e, thret(e, 6 thrette, 6– threat.
[OE. þréat masc. (With sense 2 cf. ON. þraut fem. struggle, labour, trouble):—OTeut. *þrautoz, -ā, from ablaut-series *þreut-, þraut-, þrut- (cf. OE. þréotan to trouble, weary, Goth. us-þriutan to trouble, threaten, OHG. ir-drioȥan, MHG. ver-drioȥen, Ger. ver-drieszen, Du. ver-drieten to trouble, vex; cf. L. trūdĕre to press, thrust). Sense 1 has the same form as 2 in OE. and early ME., and is commonly considered the same word; it appears to go back, like ‘throng’ and ‘press (of people)’, to the radical sense ‘to press’.]
I.
†1. A throng, press, crowd, multitude of people; a troop, band, body of men. Obs.
Beowulf 2406 Se wæs on ðam ðreate þreotteoða secg. a800Cynewulf Elene 329 Hio..Þrungon..on þreate. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Mark iii. 32 ᵹesætt ymb hine ðreat [c 975 Rushw. G. ðe ðreatt, L. turba]. Ibid. viii. 2 Ic milsa ofer ðreat [R. ðreott]. c1205Lay. 9791 Riden ut to-some..þritti þusend þe þræt wes þa mare. Ibid. 26294 Hit is feole ȝere þat heore þrættes [c 1275 þretes] comen here.
II.
†2. Painful pressure, oppression, compulsion; vexation, torment; affliction, distress, misery; danger, peril. Obs.
a800Cynewulf Juliana 465 Is þeos þraᵹ ful strong, þreat ormæte; ic sceal þinga ᵹehwylc þolian. 971Blickl. Hom. 119 Hie seoþþan ealle worlde wean & ealle þreatas oforhoᵹodan. c1200Trin. Coll. Hom. 61 Listeð nu wich þreat dauid setted uppen us bute [we] lesten ure bihese. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 55 Þenne þrat moste I þole. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Prol. (1810) p. xcviii, With mykelle wo, In sclaundire, in threte & in thro. 13..Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. xliv. 36 And þretes—þo beoþ vuele þre, ffurst and hunger and þesternesse. c1450Lovelich Grail xiii. 606 They wenden han put him to gret thret.
3. A denunciation to a person of ill to befall him; esp. a declaration of hostile determination or of loss, pain, punishment, or damage to be inflicted in retribution for or conditionally upon some course; a menace. Also fig. an indication of impending evil.
The radical sense appears to be ‘pressure applied to the will by declaration of the harm that will follow non-compliance’. It is thus indirect compulsion.
It is doubtful whether quots. c 1000 belong here or to sense 2.
c1000ælfric Saints' Lives xxv. 220 Ac mathathias nolde..godes æ forgæᵹan for his [the king's] gramlican ðreate. Ibid. xxviii. 105 Ða hæþenan..heton hine secgan mid swyðlicum þreate hweþer he cristen wære. c1200Vices & Virt. 87 Oðerhwile cumeð maniȝe þohtes of godes þreatt of helle pines. a1250Owl & Night. 58 Ne recche ich nouht of þine þrete. c1325Song of Yesterday 148 in E.E.P. (1862) 137 Ȝif þi neiȝebor þe manas Oþer to culle oþer to bete..þou wold drede þi neiȝebores þrete. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 14 b, Wherby he myght scape the menasses and threttes of god. 1601Shakes. Jul. C. iv. iii. 66 There is no terror Cassius in your threats. 1750Gray Elegy 62 The threats of pain and ruin to despise. 1874Green Short Hist. vii. §1. 348 He met the hostility of the nobles with a threat which marked his power. 1884Manch. Exam. 19 Feb. 5/4 Clouds full of the threat of rain.
4. Zool. Animal behaviour that keeps other animals at a distance or strengthens social dominance without physical conflict. Freq. attrib.
1933R. W. G. Hingston Meaning of Animal Colour v. 119 Whenever a bird has threat-colours on the crown, it either lowers its head so that the colours can be seen, or erects the feathers..to make them visible above the level of the beak. Ibid. x. 291 Song is an exhibition of threat. 1943D. Lack Life of Robin iii. 26 It is..a threat display, serving to intimidate a trespassing robin. 1949Brit. Birds XLII. 234 One female called a peculiar, low, harsh, single note..similar to a harsh growling threat-note. 1966N. Tinbergen Animal Behaviour viii. 177 The signalling movements of higher animals, particularly those used in threat and courtship. 1978P. Marsh et al. Rules of Disorder v. 127 Certain threat signals are evolved such that intra-specific conflicts became ceremonial in character. 1981Oxf. Compan. Animal Behaviour 563/2 The opening of the mouth that precedes biting has evolved into a ritualized baring of the teeth that is characteristic of threat in many mammals.
▪ II. threat, v. arch. and dial.|θrɛt|
Forms: see below.
[OE. þréatian weak vb., pa. tense þréatode, f. þréat, threat n.:—OTeut. type *þrautôjan.]
A. Illustration of Forms.
1. pres. stem. (α) 1 þreatian, 3 -en, in, þretie(n, þræten, þreat, 3–5 þrete, 5 þreete, 5–6 threte, 6 threete, 6–7 threate, 6– threat.
c888K. ælfred Boeth. xxxvii. §1 Þa..þreatiað eal moncynn mid hiora þrymme. a1225Leg. Kath. 623 Me ham walde þreatin & leaden unlaheliche. a1225Juliana 13 Nulle ich þe her onont þreate se þu þreate buhe ne beien. a1250Owl & Night. 1609 Me myd stone & lugge þreteþ. 1483Cath. Angl. 385/2 To Threte, minari. 1530Palsgr. 755/2, I threete, or I thretten one to do hym harme, je menasse. 1600Threat [see B. 5].
(β) 4–6 thret, thrette, 4–7 thrett.
13..Cursor M. 18247 Nu þai thrett [v.r. thret] vs sare. Ibid. 19181 Þar-for sal we thret þam herd. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xlii. (Agatha) 147 Gyf be fyre þu threttis me. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. clx. 194 Whan ye be at Parys..ye do thret thenglysshmen. a1533― Gold. Bk. M. Aurel. (1546) Gg iij b, She..thretteth them that be absent.
(γ) 3 þrattien, -en.
c1205Lay. 20341 Swiðe heo gunnen þrattien [c 1275 þretie] Arður þene king. Ibid. 18738 Þrattest [see B. 4 a].
2. pa. tense. (α) 1 th-, þreatade, -ode, 2 -ede, 3 þreated, þræted, þret-, þrætt-, þrettede, 4 þreted, 5–6 thretid, 6– threated.
c725–c 1000 [see B. 1]. c1160[see B. 2]. c1205Lay. 504 Þe king þræted [c 1275 þretede] Brutun. Ibid. 27131 Summe þrætteden [c 1275 þrettede] heore ueond. c1250Ðreated [see B. 3]. 13..Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. liv. 33 Harde þei þreted me in her þouȝt. c1440Thretid [see B. 3]. a1529Skelton Wofully Araid 13 The Jewis me thretid. 1673Wood Life 14 July (O.H.S.) II. 266, I threated to geld the translator.
(β) 3–4 þrette, 4 þret, 4–5 thrett, 4–6 thret, thrette, 5 threte, (thred).
c1250Ðrette, c 1300 Þrette [see B. 5]. 13..Cursor M. 19603 Saulus..thrett [v.rr. þrette, þret] All þe cristen. c1330R. Brunne Chron. (1810) 44 Þe corsaynt & þe kirke he thrette for to brennyng. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 10493 He chased the Troiens & thret. c1440Alphabet of Tales 81 And þan he thred hur. c1440Generydes 500 She threte hym sore. 1523Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccclxxxiii. 645 They thret them of London.
(γ) 2–4 þratte, 4 þrat, 5 thrat(t, 5–6 thratte, 6 thrate.
c1200Ormin 15514 He þratte stirne wind o sæ & itt warrþ stille & liþe. 13..E.E. Allit. P. B. 937 Þe aungelez hasted þise oþer & aȝly hem þratten. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1980 Fele þryuande þonnkkez he þrat hom to haue. c1400Laud Troy Bk. 6907 Thei thrat him alle, tho he was tan. 1589R. Robinson Gold. Mirr. (Chetham) 37 Albion Isle he thrate.
3. pa. pple.: 3 i-ðrat, 4–5 þret, -tt, -tte; 4–6 threted, 7 threat, 5– threated.
a1225Ancr. R. 304 Ich was ined [MS. T. iðrat] þerto. 13..Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 1725 Þer he watz þreted, & ofte þef called. a1400–50Alexander 707 Þik & þrathly am I thret. 1470–85Malory Arthur x. lxii. 520 Ful sore are we threted. 1472Sir J. Paston in P. Lett. III. 38 That poor woode is soor manashed and thrett. 1631Threat [see B. 3].
B. Signification.
†1. trans. To press, urge, try to force or induce; esp. by means of menaces. (With clause or inf.)
c725Corpus Gloss. (O.E.T.) 1275 Maceratus, þreatende. Ibid. 2169 Urguet, threatade. a900O. E. Martyrol. 18 Apr. 58 Adrianus se caser[e hine] þreatade þæt he Criste wiðsoce. c950Lindisf. Gosp. Matt. v. 42 Ðæm nedende vel ðæm ðreatende [Vulg. uolenti] huerfa ðec ne acerre. c1000ælfric Hom. I. 416 Þa cempan..hine ðreatodon þæt he ðære deadan anlicnysse his lac offrian sceolde. a1225Ancr. R. 248 Ne mei he [the devil] buten scheawe þe uorð sumhwat of his apeware, & oluhnen, oðer þreaten þet me bugge þerof. 13..[see A. 2 γ]. c1470Ashby Dicta Philos. 308 Who that wol nat be feire entreted, Must be foule & rigorously threted. 1501Plumpton Corr. (Camden) 157 Ever they thratte me that I shold goe to London. 1638Hamilton Papers (Camden) 4 They..thrett privatt men to singe the Covenatt.
†2. To rebuke, reprove. Obs. Cf. threap v. 1.
a1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) lxvii. 27 [lxviii. 30] On wuda þu wildeor wordum þreatast. c1160Hatton Gosp. Luke ix. 55 And he be-wente hine and hyo þreatede. c1200[see A. 2 γ]. a1300E.E. Psalter vi. 1 Lauerd, ne threte me in þi wreth.
3. To hold out threats against; = threaten 2.
a1000Ags. Ps. (Th.) ix. 29 [x. 8] And þreatað þone earman mid his eaᵹum. c1205Lay. 641 He..þreateð þene castel & þat folc þer inne. c1250Gen. & Ex. 4125 And wrot an canticle..Ðat ðreated ðo men bitter-like Ðe god ne seruen luue-like. 1428in Surtees Misc. (1888) 3 Wham he thret with bodily harm. c1440Alphabet of Tales 439 Sho apperid vnto hym & thretid hym att he was ferd for hur. c1489Caxton Sonnes of Aymon xvii. 390 It becometh not to suche a knighte as ye be, for to threte me thus. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 66 He that thretteth a dogge for his barkyng prouoketh hym to more felnesse. 1631R. H. Arraignm. Whole Creature x. §2. 84 The Apostles glad, that they were threat, and beat for the Name of Christ. 1781Hist. Europe in Ann. Reg. 25/2 The Spaniards sent out so great a force..as seemed sufficient..to threat the British fleets and islands with the most imminent danger. 1848Lytton Harold i. iv, Send for me if danger threat thee.
b. With inf. or clause as complement.
a1330Otuel 736 Hou þei..þratten roulond to die. c1330R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8294 [The Britons] þretten Hengist to wake hys wough. c1440Alphabet of Tales 32 Þe devull come aforn hym with a byrnand stake, and thretid hym þat he sulde þruste itt in at his mouthe. 1461Paston Lett. II. 25 She is thret if that she myght be take, she shuld be slayne. a1517in G. P. Scrope Castle Combe (1852) 295 He..thret hym that he schulde make hyme aper before my lordys grase. 1611Coryat's Crudities Panegyr. Verses c iij, All the Sophists he did threat Their problemes to confound. 1642J. Eaton Honey-c. Free Justif. 475 It would be a foolish part to set it [a kettle] beside the fire, and then charge it to be hot, and to threat it that else it shall be spilt.
c. fig. Said of things; = threaten 4.
1422[see threating vbl. n.]. c1590Marlowe Faust. vii. 18 A sumptuous temple..That threats the stars with her aspiring top. 1634Milton Comus 39 This drear Wood, The nodding horror of whose shady brows Threats the forlorn and wandring Passinger. a1717Parnell Bookworm 70 To see what dangers threat the year. 1800Coleridge Piccolom. i. iii. 46 This tempest, which..threats us from all quarters. 1832Fraser's Mag. IV. 764 The fate which threats kingdoms.
4. To hold forth (something) by way of a threat; = threaten 3.
a. with inf. or clause as obj.
c1205Lay. 17300 He gon þretien swiðe þat al he wolde heom to-driue. Ibid. 18738 Þu..þrattest hine to slænne. c1250Lutel Soth Sermun 82 in O.E. Misc. 190 Hire sire & hire dame þreteþ hire to bete. 1375Barbour Bruce vi. 536 Vmbeset With fayis þat to slay hym thret. c1557Abp. Parker Ps. D ij, If the adversaries flocke to-gether..and threate to destroy the house of God. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, O.T. 413 Who is this..that threats to sweep all before him? 1681Dryden Abs. & Achit. 801 If ancient fabrics nod and threat to fall. 1724Ramsay Royal Archers 25 And seems to threat,..‘No man unpunish'd shall provoke my rage’.
b. With n. or pron. as obj.
c1386Chaucer Pars. T. ⁋572 He threttith more þan he may parfourme. 1526Pilgr. Perf. (1531) 61 What payne & turment is thrette to the wycked & euyll lyuers. 1581Mulcaster Positions vi. (1887) 47 Where thickning threates harme, there thinning fines the substance. 1594Shakes. Rich. III, v. iii. 205 Euery one did threat To morrowes vengeance on the head of Richard. 1633Bp. Hall Hard Texts, N.T. 17 Let the Tyrants..threat what they please. 1795Burns Dumfries Volunteers i, Does haughty Gaul invasion threat? 1821Clare Vill. Minstr. I. 4 Where black neglect..threats her constant winter cold and chill.
5. absol. or intr. To offer threats; = threaten 5.
c1250Gen. & Ex. 2023 Often ȝhe ðrette, often ȝhe scroð. c1300Havelok 1163 Sho was adrad, for he so þrette. 1390Gower Conf. III. 57 Bot they with proude wordes grete Begunne to manace and threte. c1491Chast. Goddes Chyld. 14 She..spekyth somtyme sharply somtyme she threteth. a1541Wyatt Penit. Ps. vi. 30 That drede of deathe, of deathe that ever lastes, Threateth of right. 1600Holland Livy viii. xxxii. 304 Some were heard to intreat, others to threat. 1605Shakes. Macb. ii. i. 60 Whiles I threat, he liues. 1725Pope Odyss. ii. 231 Threat on, O prince! elude the bridal day, Threat on, till all thy stores in waste decay. 1822Byron Werner ii. ii. 266 Threat'st thou? 1901G. F. Savage-Armstrong Ball. 64 (E.D.D.) Whun danger threats, return.
Hence † threat ppl. a., obtained by threats, forced, compulsory.
c1375Cursor M. 26944 (Fairf.) Wiseli loke þou be shriuin & noȝt wiþ strenght þer-to driuen For þret shrift mai haue na mede. c1375Sc. Leg. Saints xi. (Symon & Judas) 1338 God wald one na wyse Of ony man haf thret seruice. |