portend

[ pawr-tend, pohr- ]
See synonyms for: portendportendedportendingportends on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object)
  1. to indicate in advance; to foreshadow or presage, as an omen does: The street incident may portend a general uprising.

  2. to signify; mean.

Origin of portend

1
First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, from Latin portendere “to point out, indicate, portend,” variant of prōtendere “to extend”; see pro-1, tend1

Other words for portend

Other words from portend

  • un·por·tend·ed, adjective

Words that may be confused with portend

Words Nearby portend

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use portend in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for portend

portend

/ (pɔːˈtɛnd) /


verb(tr)
  1. to give warning of; predict or foreshadow

  2. obsolete to indicate or signify; mean

Origin of portend

1
C15: from Latin portendere to indicate, foretell; related to prōtendere to stretch out

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