0 a suggestion that something unpleasant or violent will happen, especially if a particular action or order is not followed:
[ + to infinitive ] Her parents carried out their threat to take away her mobile phone if her grades didn't improve.
Drunken drivers pose a serious threat (= cause a lot of harm) to other road users.
He says he'll tell the authorities but it's just an empty threat (= it will not happen).
She left the country under threat of arrest if she returned.
1 a statement that someone will be hurt or harmed, esp. if the person does not do something in particular:
She was fired after making threats to her co-workers.
2 the possibility that something unwanted will happen, or a person or thing that is likely to cause something unwanted to happen:
It is hoped that the kidnappers will not carry out their threat to kill the hostages.
Three main line railway stations were closed because of bomb threats.
The key witness for the prosecution was offered police protection after she received death threats.
Then why does threat simulation co-occur with psychological troubles?
In approaching their prospects, network marketers enjoy the privilege of exploiting the element of intimacy by reducing the potential threat to their prospects' negative face.
Some participants reported that the threat was current and ongoing, while others did not think it would happen for over 6 months.
