1 (menace verbally) amenazar to threaten to do sth amenazar con hacer algo
he threatened to report her to the police
she threatened to kill him amenazó con matarlo; to threaten sb with sth amenazar a algn con algo; they were threatened with the sack los amenazaron con el despido; amenazaron con despedirlos
2 (pose a threat to) [+environment, community, way of life] amenazar their whole culture is threatened by the Western way of life new housing developments threaten the very existence of these species Western values now threaten to end a way of life that is thousands of years old
some schools have been threatened with closure la amenaza de cierre se cierne sobre algunos colegios; to be threatened with extinction estar amenazado de extinción
3 (promise) [+rain, bad weather] amenazar the clouds threatened rain those clouds threaten rain/bad weather
it's threatening to rain amenaza lluvia; amenaza (con) llover; it's threatening to turn into a full-scale war amenaza (con) convertirse en una guerra declarada
