(1)恐(恫)吓，威胁(statement that one is going to do(sth unpleasant))[C，U]：be neither a boast nor a～既不是夸大，也不是威胁;carry out a～to do sth 威胁要做某事;an empty～虚张声势的恫吓;war～s 战争威胁;receive～s of violence/revenge 接到要实施暴力/复仇的恫吓;make/utter～s against the President (one's enemies) 威胁/威胁总统(敌人);do not take sb's～(s) seriously 不把某人的恐吓当回事;

(2)预(征)兆(sign that a danger may be coming)[C，通常sing;U][N(to)(of)]：a～of rain/frost/storm/bad weather 有下雨/霜冻/暴风雨/天气变坏的征兆;constitute a～to national security 对国家的安全构成了威胁;under (the)～of famine/punishment 受到饥饿/惩罚的威胁; under (the)～of closure/imprisonment/being shot/an economic depression 有关闭/监禁/被击毙/经济萧条的危险;

(3)可能带来危险或灾难的人或物(person or thing that is dangerous)[C，通常sing][N (to)]：(provocations) be a～to peace(挑衅)对和平有威胁;(terrorism/murderer/killer) be a～to everyone in society/society/the children(恐怖主义/杀人犯/杀人犯)对社会的每一个人/社会/孩子们是一大威胁;(floods) be a～to a village(洪水)对一个村庄构成威胁;(sb's presence) be a～to their success (某人的出席)对他们的成功带来危险;

→threaten v;

【说明】threat 后跟of 表明威胁的本质，如：a～of violence(武力威胁);threat 后跟to 则表明有可能受到威胁的人或事，如：a～to the children/shipping(对孩子/海上运输的威胁)。