MENACE

n. & v.

n. 1 a threat. 2 a dangerous or obnoxious thing or person. 3 joc. a pest, a nuisance.

v.tr. & intr. threaten, esp. in a malignant or hostile manner. menacer n. menacingly adv.

[ ME ult. f. L minax -acis threatening f. minari threaten ]