portent
Definition
Noun: 1. A sign or warning that something, especially something momentous or calamitous, is likely to happen. It refers to an event or phenomenon regarded as an omen, often of a negative or significant future event. 2. (Archaic/Literary) An exceptional or wonderful person, thing, or event; a marvel. This meaning is less common in modern usage.
Usage
The word "portent" is used to describe something that serves as a sign or warning of a future event. It carries a formal, literary, and often ominous tone. It is typically followed by "of" to indicate what the sign foretells.
Examples
- The sudden, unnatural silence in the forest was seen as a portent of danger.
- Many believed the comet was a portent of great change.
- The economic downturn is a grim portent for the coming year.
- The infant's wisdom was a portent, astonishing all who heard him speak.
Advanced Usage
- "of things to come": A common phrase used with "portent" to explicitly frame it as a sign for the future.
- The team's decisive victory in the first match was a portent of things to come in the tournament.
- "full of portent": Describes a situation, event, or atmosphere that seems to carry a significant, often ominous, meaning.
- The meeting began in a silence full of portent.
Variants and Related Words
- Portentous (adjective):
- Of or like a portent; ominously significant or indicative. "There was a portentous silence after the announcement."
- Done in a pompously or overly solemn manner so as to impress. "He made a portentous declaration about the fate of the company."
Synonyms
- Omen: A phenomenon believed to foretell the future, often with supernatural connotations.
- Augury: An omen or sign, or the practice of interpreting omens.
- Harbinger: A person or thing that announces or signals the approach of another.
- Presage: (Verb or noun) A sign or warning that something, typically something bad, will happen.
- Forewarning: A warning of something before it happens.
Antonyms
- Aftermath: The consequences or results of a significant event.
- Result: A consequence or effect of an action or condition.
Related Idioms and Phrases
- A portent in the sky: Refers to an atmospheric phenomenon (like an eclipse or unusual cloud formation) interpreted as an omen.
- The ancients viewed the solar eclipse as a terrifying portent in the sky.
Noun
-
a sign of something about to happen
-
he looked for an omen before going into battle
-
Khám phá thêm
Các từ liên quan
Từ đồng nghĩa
Từ chứa "portent"
Từ có nhắc đến "portent"
