·threaten,intimidate 都指预先告知或给出即将到来的危险、灾祸或伤害的迹象
·Threaten 常指不安或不祥的征兆,有计划地或特意阻碍的外表或行动,或危险的来源
“a crack that threatened to become a split” (Booth Tarkington).
“一条有裂开危险的缝” （布斯·塔金顿）.
“No future peace can be maintained if ...armaments continue to be employed by nations which threaten,or may threaten,aggression outside of their frontiers” (Atlantic Charter).
“假如…各国继续使用武力威胁或可能威胁进攻疆界之外的武力话,和平就不会存在” （大西洋宪章）.
“The heretics were persecuted ...because their beliefs threatened the vested interest of that day” (James Harvey Robinson).
“异教徒受到迫害…因为他们的信仰威胁到了当时既定的利益” （詹姆斯·哈维·罗伯逊）.
·Intimidate 暗指迫使人行动或使人不再行动的令人害怕的力量的存在或运行：
felt intimidated by his opponent's power and prestige.
为他对手的权力和威望吓倒.
“It [atomic energy] may intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs,which,without the pressure of fear,it would not do” (Albert Einstein).
“它〔原子能〕 可能胁迫人类有秩序地处理国际事务,而这在没有恐惧的压力下,是不可能实现的” （艾伯特·爱因斯坦）
