minacciare

threaten

verb mee-nat-CHAH-reh Less Common

Origin: from Latin minaciare

Usage Note

Minacciare means to threaten, taking di + infinitive for the threatened act: minacciare di andarsene ('to threaten to leave'). The -cci- holds the soft /tʃ/ sound; the related noun is minaccia ('threat').

Examples

"Lo hanno minacciato di morte."

Natural Translation

They threatened to kill him.

Literal Translation

Him they-have threatened of death.

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