---
title: threaten — school dictionary · trees and pragmatics
description: «threaten» in the school dictionary: To threaten is to say you will hurt someone or do something bad if they do not do what you want. Every meaning for a pupil with its dependency tree and pragmatics.
---

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# threaten

<!-- .vintro -->
**Who acts:** you, they, storm, something, rain, someone · **What happens:** threaten, be, hurt, do, not do, want · **To what, where:** someone, something, danger, town, bully, lunch · **Speech:** someone speaks here

<!-- .vabout -->
«threaten» in the school dictionary: its 3 meanings for a pupil and its 9 examples, every sentence parsed by Mova itself — its syntax tree, a dependency tree in the style of Universal Dependencies, and its pragmatics clause by clause. The word in the dictionary, with its sense in the lessons: [threaten in the school dictionary](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/threaten.md).

## Meaning 1 {#m1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To threaten is to say you will hurt someone or do something bad if they do not do what you want.

<!-- fold The tree, 21 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:m1:1
# text = To threaten is to say you will hurt someone or do something bad if they do not do what you want.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	threaten	threaten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	csubj	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	5	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	say	say	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
6	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	8	nsubj	_	_
7	will	will	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	8	aux	_	_
8	hurt	hurt	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	5	ccomp	_	_
9	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	8	obj	_	_
10	or	or	CCONJ	CC	_	11	cc	_	_
11	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	conj	_	_
12	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	11	obj	_	_
13	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	12	amod	_	_
14	if	if	SCONJ	IN	_	18	mark	_	_
15	they	they	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Number=Plur|Person=3|PronType=Prs	18	nsubj	_	_
16	do	do	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	aux	_	_
17	not	not	PART	RB	Polarity=Neg	18	advmod	_	_
18	do	do	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	11	advcl	_	_
19	what	what	PRON	WP	PronType=Int	21	obj	_	_
20	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Nom|Person=2|PronType=Prs	21	nsubj	_	_
21	want	want	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=2|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	18	ccomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
22	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	5	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **be** *speech: assert* | present |  |  |  |  |  | say *property* | tree rules |
| 3 | **hurt** | future | you | someone |  |  |  |  | vn hurt-40.8.3-2 «NP V NP»: agent=Experiencer someone=Patient |
| 4 | **do** | infinitive | you *not said here* | something |  |  |  |  | vn act-114-1 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent something=Eventuality |
| 5 | **not** **do** *a condition, not said to happen* | present · do-support | they |  |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 6 | **want** | present | you |  |  |  |  |  | vn want-32.1-1-1 «NP V NP ADV»: agent=Pivot what=Theme |

<!-- .note -->
One row per clause the reader finds. «not said here»: a role filled from the clause above. «roles by»: a VerbNet class and frame when one fits the verb, else the reader's rules on the tree.

## Meaning 2 {#m2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To threaten is to be a danger to something, like a storm threatening a town.

<!-- fold The tree, 15 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:m2:1
# text = To threaten is to be a danger to something, like a storm threatening a town.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	threaten	threaten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	advcl	_	_
3	is	be	AUX	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	7	cop	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	7	mark	_	_
5	be	be	AUX	VB	VerbForm=Inf	7	cop	_	_
6	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	danger	danger	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
8	to	to	ADP	IN	_	9	case	_	_
9	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
10	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	13	punct	_	_
11	like	like	ADP	IN	_	13	case	_	_
12	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	13	det	_	_
13	storm	storm	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	9	appos	_	_
14	threatening	threaten	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	13	acl	_	_
15	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	16	det	_	_
16	town	town	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
17	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	7	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is a** | present |  | a danger |  |  |  | to something | tree rules |
| 3 | **threaten** | gerund | a storm *not said here* | a town |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus town=Experiencer |

## Meaning 3 {#m3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
To threaten can mean something bad seems likely to happen, like rain threatening.

<!-- fold The tree, 13 words -->
```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:m3:1
# text = To threaten can mean something bad seems likely to happen, like rain threatening.
1	To	to	PART	TO	_	2	mark	_	_
2	threaten	threaten	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	4	csubj	_	_
3	can	can	AUX	MD	VerbForm=Fin	4	aux	_	_
4	mean	mean	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	0	root	_	_
5	something	something	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	7	nsubj	_	_
6	bad	bad	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	5	amod	_	_
7	seems	seem	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	4	ccomp	_	_
8	likely	likely	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	7	xcomp	_	_
9	to	to	PART	TO	_	10	mark	_	_
10	happen	happen	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	8	xcomp	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	14	punct	_	_
12	like	like	SCONJ	IN	_	14	mark	_	_
13	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	14	nsubj	_	_
14	threatening	threaten	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	10	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
15	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | to-infinitive |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **mean** | can |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn intend-61.2-1 «NP V S»: agent=Agent clause=Topic |
| 3 | **seem** | present | something |  |  |  |  | likely *property* | vn seem-109-1-1-1 «NP V S\_INF»: agent=Theme |
| 4 | **happen** | to-infinitive | something *not said here* |  |  |  |  |  | vn occur-48.3-1 «NP V»: agent=Theme |
| 5 | **threaten** | gerund | rain |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 1 {#x1}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The bully threatened to take my lunch.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x1:1
# text = The bully threatened to take my lunch.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	bully	bully	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	take	take	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	my	my	PRON	PRP$	Case=Gen|Number=Sing|Person=1|Poss=Yes|PronType=Prs	7	nmod:poss	_	_
7	lunch	lunch	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | participle |  | the bully *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **take** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | my lunch |  |  |  |  | vn bring-11.3 «NP V NP»: agent=Agent lunch=Theme |

## Example 2 {#x2}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
If someone threatens you, tell a teacher.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x2:1
# text = If someone threatens you, tell a teacher.
1	If	if	SCONJ	IN	_	3	mark	_	_
2	someone	someone	PRON	NN	Number=Sing|PronType=Ind	3	nsubj	_	_
3	threatens	threaten	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	6	advcl	_	_
4	you	you	PRON	PRP	Case=Acc|Person=2|PronType=Prs	3	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	,	,	PUNCT	,	_	3	punct	_	_
6	tell	tell	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
7	a	a	DET	DT	Definite=Ind|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	teacher	teacher	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	6	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	6	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** *a condition, not said to happen* | present | someone | you |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus you=Experiencer |
| 2 | **tell** *speech: assert* | imperative | you *not said here* |  | a teacher |  |  |  | vn transfer\_mesg-37.1.1-1-1 «NP V NP.recipient»: agent=Agent teacher=Recipient |

## Example 3 {#x3}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Pollution threatens the coral reef.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x3:1
# text = Pollution threatens the coral reef.
1	Pollution	pollution	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	nsubj	_	_
2	threatens	threaten	VERB	VBZ	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
4	coral	coral	NOUN	NN	_	5	compound	_	_
5	reef	reef	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | present | Pollution | the coral reef |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus reef=Experiencer |

## Example 4 {#x4}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Dark clouds threatened rain.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x4:1
# text = Dark clouds threatened rain.
1	Dark	dark	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	2	amod	_	_
2	clouds	cloud	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	0	root	_	_
3	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	4	amod	_	_
4	rain	rain	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	2	conj	_	SpaceAfter=No
5	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | participle |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |

## Example 5 {#x5}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The fire threatened the houses near the forest.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x5:1
# text = The fire threatened the houses near the forest.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	fire	fire	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	nsubj	_	_
3	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBD	Mood=Ind|Number=Sing|Person=3|Tense=Past|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
4	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	5	det	_	_
5	houses	house	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	3	obj	_	_
6	near	near	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	8	det	_	_
8	forest	forest	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	obl	_	SpaceAfter=No
9	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	3	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | past | the fire | the houses |  | the forest |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus house=Experiencer |

## Example 6 {#x6}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
The dragon threatened to burn the village.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x6:1
# text = The dragon threatened to burn the village.
1	The	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	2	det	_	_
2	dragon	dragon	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
3	threatened	threaten	VERB	VBN	Tense=Past|VerbForm=Part|Voice=Pass	2	acl	_	_
4	to	to	PART	TO	_	5	mark	_	_
5	burn	burn	VERB	VB	VerbForm=Inf	3	xcomp	_	_
6	the	the	DET	DT	Definite=Def|PronType=Art	7	det	_	_
7	village	village	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	5	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
8	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | participle |  | the dragon *not said here* |  |  |  |  | tree rules |
| 2 | **burn** *not said to happen* | to-infinitive |  | the village |  |  |  |  | vn light\_emission-43.1 «NP V NP.theme»: agent=Agent village=Theme |

## Example 7 {#x7}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Never threaten other people online.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x7:1
# text = Never threaten other people online.
1	Never	never	ADV	RB	PronType=Neg	2	advmod	_	_
2	threaten	threaten	VERB	VB	Mood=Imp|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
3	other	other	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	4	amod	_	_
4	people	people	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	2	obj	_	_
5	online	online	ADV	RB	_	2	advmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
6	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	2	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **not** **threaten** | imperative | you *not said here* | other people |  |  |  | online *property* | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus people=Experiencer |

## Example 8 {#x8}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Rising sea levels threaten small islands.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x8:1
# text = Rising sea levels threaten small islands.
1	Rising	rise	VERB	VBG	Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Part	3	amod	_	_
2	sea	sea	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	3	compound	_	_
3	levels	level	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	nsubj	_	_
4	threaten	threaten	VERB	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	0	root	_	_
5	small	small	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	6	amod	_	_
6	islands	island	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	4	obj	_	SpaceAfter=No
7	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	4	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **rise** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn assuming\_position-50 «NP V»: agent=Agent |
| 2 | **threaten** | present | Rising sea levels | small islands |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V NP»: agent=Stimulus island=Experiencer |

## Example 9 {#x9}

<!-- .ven lang=en -->
Bluff and threatening words are of little value with rascals.

```conllu
# sent_id = dict:school:threaten:x9:1
# text = Bluff and threatening words are of little value with rascals.
1	Bluff	bluff	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	8	nsubj	_	_
2	and	and	CCONJ	CC	_	4	cc	_	_
3	threatening	threaten	VERB	VBG	VerbForm=Ger	4	amod	_	_
4	words	word	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	1	conj	_	_
5	are	be	AUX	VBP	Mood=Ind|Number=Plur|Person=3|Tense=Pres|VerbForm=Fin	8	cop	_	_
6	of	of	ADP	IN	_	8	case	_	_
7	little	little	ADJ	JJ	Degree=Pos	8	amod	_	_
8	value	value	NOUN	NN	Number=Sing	0	root	_	_
9	with	with	ADP	IN	_	10	case	_	_
10	rascals	rascal	NOUN	NNS	Number=Plur	8	nmod	_	SpaceAfter=No
11	.	.	PUNCT	.	_	8	punct	_	_
```

<!-- .fr -->
| # | verb | tense, mood | who | what, whom | to whom | where | when | other | roles by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | **threaten** | gerund |  |  |  |  |  |  | vn amuse-31.1 «NP V ADV-Middle»: agent=Experiencer |
| 2 | **is** | present | Bluff and threatening words |  |  |  |  | of little value; with rascals | tree rules |

<!-- div src -->

**Text:** the school dictionary of Mova's schools (`world/data/dictionary-schools/`), written for Mova. **Trees:** Mova's own parse — the `en` model on the CPU, when the site is built — not checked by a teacher; they may be wrong. **Frames:** Mova's frames reader (`prag`), each meaning and example read on its own. Elamur Cosmic License.

<!-- /div -->

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