Wednesday，2026.06.24

New words：

threat /θret/ n.威胁，恐吓；凶兆；隐患
threaten [ˈθret(ə)n] v.威胁；危及；恐吓；扬言要；预示（坏事）即将发生

详细词源拆解：

古英语原生词，本义 “压制、威吓”；衍生动词后缀 -en 得到 threaten（v. 威胁）。
词义演变：恐吓的话语 → 危险、隐患；构成威胁的人 / 事物。

词汇家族

threat (n. 威胁，隐患)
→ threaten (v. 威胁；危及)
→ threatening (adj. 凶险的，恐吓的)
→ threatened (adj. 受威胁的)

必记高频搭配

a threat to … 对…… 的威胁

Noise pollution is a threat to our hearing.

under threat 受到威胁

Many wild animals are now under threat.

make a threat 发出恐吓

The bad boy made a threat to his deskmate.

threaten sb with sth 用某物威胁某人

He threatened me with breaking my new pen.
He threatened me with a stick to get my money.

threaten to do sth 威胁要做某事

She threatened to leave if we did not listen.

threaten sth/sb 危及某物 / 某人

Pollution threatens the lives of wild animals.

关键使用提醒

1. 表 “预示坏事来临” 时，主语多为天气、乌云、恶劣环境

   Black clouds threaten a terrible storm tonight.
   乌云预示今晚将有一场猛烈暴风雨。