ngăm đe

Một người đàn ông lớn tiếng ngăm đe người khác trong một cuộc tranh cãi.

Definition

1. Verb:
   • To threaten: To express an intention to cause harm, punishment, or other negative consequences to someone in order to make them do something or to deter them from an action.
   • To intimidate: To frighten or coerce someone, especially to make them submit to one's will, often through implied or verbal threats.

Usage Examples

• Verb:
  • Hắn dùng lời lẽ để ngăm đe đối thủ. (He used words to threaten his opponent.)
  • Đừng ngăm đe tôi! (Don't threaten me!)
  • Hành động đó có vẻ chỉ để ngăm đe. (That action seemed only meant to intimidate.)

Advanced Usage

• The word often implies a calculated act of coercion, not merely a spontaneous outburst of anger. It suggests a deliberate attempt to instill fear for a specific purpose, such as gaining compliance or silencing someone.

Variants and Related Words

• Đe dọa (v): to threaten, to menace. This is a very close synonym, though "ngăm đe" can sometimes carry a slightly more formal or severe connotation.
  • Chúng đe dọa sẽ phá hủy mọi thứ. (They threatened to destroy everything.)

Synonyms

• Menace: To pose a threat of danger or harm.
• Bully: To use strength or power to intimidate someone, typically to force them to do something.

Related Idioms

• While "ngăm đe" itself is not commonly part of a specific idiom, the concept is central to phrases like:
  • "Nói ngăm": to speak with a threatening undertone.

    • Anh ta nói ngăm rằng hậu quả sẽ rất nghiêm trọng. (He spoke with a threat that the consequences would be severe.)