omen
/'oumən/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun:
- A sign or event believed to foretell the future, often indicating good or bad fortune: An "omen" is a phenomenon or occurrence interpreted as a sign of what is going to happen, especially something significant or momentous.
Verb:
- To serve as a sign or warning of a future event; to portend: The verb form means to be a prophetic sign of something to come.
Usage Examples
- Noun:
- The sudden flight of birds was seen as an omen of the coming storm.
- She believed finding a four-leaf clover was a good omen for the day.
- Verb:
- The dark clouds ominously omen heavy rain. (Note: This usage is less common and often replaced by synonyms like "portend" or "bode.")
- The economic indicators omen a period of recession.
Advanced Usage
- "to take something as an omen": to interpret an event as a sign of the future.
- He took the broken mirror as an omen of bad luck and canceled his trip.
- "to be an omen of things to come": to be a sign indicating the nature of future events.
- The team's early victory was an omen of things to come in the championship.
Variants and Related Words
- Ominous (adj): giving the impression that something bad or unpleasant is going to happen; threatening.
- The ominous silence in the forest made them nervous.
- Ominously (adv): in a way that suggests something bad is going to happen.
- The sky darkened ominously.
Synonyms
- Noun: Portent, augury, sign, forewarning, harbinger, presage.
- Verb: Portend, augur, presage, foretell, foreshadow, bode.
Related Phrases
- A bird of ill omen: A person or thing regarded as a sign of bad luck or trouble.
- Ever since he made that failed prediction, they've seen him as a bird of ill omen.
- To heed the omens: To pay attention to and act based on perceived signs.
- The ancient king would always heed the omens before going to war.
Noun
- a sign of something about to happen
- he looked for an omen before going into battle
Verb
- indicate by signs
- These signs bode bad news