menace
n. · v.-
1 a danger or threat (n.) B2 Upper Intermediatesomeone or something that is dangerous or likely to cause serious harm.
a person or thing that is likely to cause harm; a threat or danger.
ExampleThe loose rocks on the cliff side are a constant menace to hikers.
ExampleThe rapid spread of the invasive species poses a significant menace to the local ecosystem's delicate balance.
UsageOften used with the preposition 'to'.
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2 a nuisance (n.) B2 Upper Intermediate Informala person, especially a child, who is very annoying or causes trouble.
a person or thing that is annoying, bothersome, or a persistent nuisance.
ExampleMy little brother is a total menace when he hasn't had a nap.
ExampleThe stray cats in the neighbourhood have become something of a menace, waking residents with their fighting at night.
Teacher's tipIn this informal sense, it is often used with a lighthearted or slightly frustrated tone rather than a sense of real danger.
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3 to threaten (v.) C1 Advanced Literary Formalto threaten someone or make them feel like they are in danger.
to threaten or intimidate someone; to pose a threat to something.
ExampleThe tall, dark clouds menaced the small village as the storm approached.
ExampleThe dictator's secret police continued to menace the local population, stifling any attempts at peaceful protest.
UsageThis verb is transitive and takes a direct object.
From Middle English manace, from Old French manace, menace, &c., from Late Latin minācia (“threat, menace”), from Latin mināx (“threatening”) + -ia (suffix forming abstract nouns).
First attested in 1303: from Middle English manacen, from Old French menacer, manecier, manechier and Anglo-Norman manasser, from the assumed Vulgar Latin *mināciāre, from Latin minācia, whence the noun.