Word forms: 3rd person singular presenttense augurs, present participle auguring, past tense, past participle augured
verb
If something augurs well or badly for a person or a future situation, it is a sign that things will go well or badly.
[formal]
The renewed violence this week hardly augurs well for smooth or peaceful change. [V adv + for]
Already there were problems. It didn't augur well. [VERB adverb]
[Also VERB noun]
Synonyms: bode, promise, predict, herald More Synonyms of augur
augur in British English
(ˈɔːɡə)
noun
1. Also called: auspex
(in ancient Rome) a religious official who observed and interpreted omens and signs to help guide the making of public decisions
2.
any prophet or soothsayer
verb
3.
to predict (some future event), as from signs or omens
4. (tr; may take a clause as object)
to be an omen (of); presage
5. (intransitive)
to foreshadow future events to be as specified; bode
this augurs well for us
Derived forms
augural (ˈɔːɡjʊrəl)
adjective
augurship (ˈaugurship)
noun
Word origin
C14: from Latin: a diviner, perhaps from augēre to increase
augur in American English
(ˈɔgər)
noun
1.
in ancient Rome, any of a body of officials who interpreted omens as being favorableor unfavorable in connection with an undertaking
2.
a fortuneteller; prophet; soothsayer
verb transitive, verb intransitive
3.
to foretell or prophesy from omens
4.
to be an omen (of); presage
cloudy skies augur rain
Idioms:
augur ill (or well)
Word origin
L, orig., a priest at rituals of fertility and increase, prob. < OL *augos (gen. *augeris), increase, growth < augere (see wax1); meaning infl. by auspex, auspex
Examples of 'augur' in a sentence
augur
So what can such a change augur?
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The data augur well for consumer spending and the economy in general.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The ghosts of the past also augur badly.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
The figures will augur badly for retailers banking on a blockbuster season.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
The figures augur well for other retailers.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
Under these circumstances the fairly robust performance of the economy this year could augur badly for the future.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
In turn, that could augur badly for the strength of consumer demand in the remainder of the year.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
That does not augur well.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It would partly explain why employment has been unexpectedly strong and productivity apparently so weak, and would augur well for future jobs growth.
Times, Sunday Times (2012)
The track record against their pool A rivals does not augur well.
Times, Sunday Times (2015)
It said: 'This does not augur well for winter when demand pressures will mount.
The Sun (2015)
It did augur well for the Premier League.
Times, Sunday Times (2010)
He said: 'It does not augur well in building the very foundations of society.
Times, Sunday Times (2006)
(verb)
Definition
to be a good or bad sign of future events
Already there were problems. It didn't augur well.
Synonyms
bode
Katya had dried her eyes. That boded well.
promise
The seminar promises to be most instructive.
predict
Nobody can predict what will happen.
herald
Economists said the drop could herald a fall in consumer spending.
signify
The two approaches signified a sharp difference between the men.
foreshadow
Sales figures foreshadow more redundancies.
prophesy
She prophesied the Great Fire of London and her own death in 1561.
harbinger
presage
Diplomats fear the incidents presage a new chapter in the conflict.
prefigure
The party says his departure did not prefigure a major policy shift.
portend
Comets, in Western tradition, always portend doom and gloom.
betoken
His demeanour betokened embarrassment at his prosperity.
be an omen of
bespeak (archaic)
Her arrogant expression bespeaks a desire to become queen of all she surveys.
Additional synonyms
in the sense of bespeak
Definition
to indicate or suggest
Her arrogant expression bespeaks a desire to become queen of all she surveys.
Synonyms
indicate,
show,
suggest,
evidence,
reveal,
display,
predict,
imply,
exhibit,
proclaim,
signify,
denote,
testify to,
foretell,
evince (formal),
betoken
in the sense of betoken
Definition
to indicate
His demeanour betokened embarrassment at his prosperity.