source: [くまみこの酒田響が雨宿まちを脅すGIF画像｜無料GIF画像検索 GIFMAGAZINE 943044]

verb reporting verb

state one's intention to take hostile action against someone in retribution for something done or not done:

〖～ A (with B)〗 〈人が〉(B〈物･事など〉で)A〈人〉を脅す, 脅迫する; 〈事〉をすると脅す

e.g. with object : the unions threatened a general strike

e.g. with infinitive : she made a scene and Tom threatened to leave

e.g. with direct speech : “I might sue for damages,” he threatened.

with object express one's intention to harm or kill (someone):

〖～ to do/that節〗 〈人が〉…するぞと, …だと脅す, 脅迫する

e.g. the men threatened the customers with a handgun.

with object cause (someone or something) to be vulnerable or at risk; endanger:

〈物･事が〉〈平和･生命など〉をおびやかす; 〈危険･災いなどが〉…に迫っている, …の脅威になる; ; 〖be ～ed with A〗 A〈害･破壊など〉の危機に瀕している

e.g. a broken finger threatened his career

e.g. one of four hospitals threatened with closure.

with infinitive (of a situation or weather conditions) seem likely to produce an unpleasant or unwelcome result:

〈物･事が〉〈悪い事態〉の徴候がある; 〖～ to do〗 …する恐れがある

e.g. the dispute threatened to spread to other cities

e.g. with object : the air was raw and threatened rain.

no object (of something undesirable) seem likely to occur:

〈悪い事態が〉迫っている, 起こりそうである.

e.g. unless war threatened, national politics remained the focus of attention.

threatener |ˈTHretnər| noun

Old English thrēatnian‘urge or induce, especially by using threats’, from thrēat (see threat).