Definition of Portend

1. Verb. Indicate by signs. "These signs bode bad news"


Definition of Portend

1. v. t. To indicate (events, misfortunes, etc.) as in future; to foreshow; to foretoken; to bode; -- now used esp. of unpropitious signs.

Definition of Portend

1. Verb. (transitive) to serve as a warning or omen ¹

2. Verb. (transitive) to signify; to denote ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Portend

1. to serve as an omen of [v -ED, -ING, -S]

Lexicographical Neighbors of Portend

portato
portcluse
portcluses
portcrayon
portcrayons
portcullis
portcullises
porte-cochere
porte-monnaie
porte cochère
porte cochères
ported
portegue
portegues
portemonnaie
portend (current term)
portended
portending
portends
portension
portensions
portent
portentive
portentous
portentously
portentousness
portents
porteous
porter
porter's beer

Literary usage of Portend

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. The Writings of George Washington: Being His Correspondence, Addresses by George Washington, Jared Sparks (1835)
"... has sustained by the death of this valuable character ; especially at this crisis, when the political machine seems to portend the most awful events. ..."

2. Dictionary of Obsolete and Provincial English: Containing Words from the by Thomas Wright (1904)
"MACKEREL, ». (Fr.) A bawd. MACKEREL-SKY, ». A streaky sky, believed to portend wind and rain. ... portend ..."

3. Crabb's English Synonyms by George Crabb (1917)
"... in general, a heavy burden upon the inhabitants: there are some persons who are not ashamed to live and die as paupers. POPULACE. See PEOPLE. portend. ..."

4. Arctic Experiences: Containing Capt. George E. Tyson's Wonderful Drift on by Euphemia Vale Blake (1874)
"Heat of Esquimaux Hats.—Desponding Thoughts.—"So I sit and dream of Plans for Release."—Terrific Noises portend the breaking up of the Floe. ..."

5. Ptolemy's Tetrabiblos, Or Quadripartite: Being Four Books of the Influence by Ptolemy, Proclus, Philip Ranger, J. M. Ashmand (1822)
"And, in a word, all remarkable phenomena, visible in the sky, universally portend that certain appropriate events will be produced, each harmonising with ..."

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