minatory adj : threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments; "a baleful look"; "forbidding thunderclouds"; "his tone became menacing"; "ominous rumblings of discontent"; "sinister storm clouds"; "a sinister smile"; "his threatening behavior"; "ugly black clouds"; "the situation became ugly" [syn: baleful, forbidding, menacing, minacious, ominous, sinister, threatening, ugly]

English

Etymology

minatorius, from 'minari

Adjective

1. Threatening, menacing.

Quotations

• 1997: In the cottage next to the post office Alma Crumble broke her wrist stirring batter, at which the Bug declared in a minatory tone that 'That was enough of that.' — Edward Gorey, The Haunted Tea-Cosy
• 1995: She shook hands firmly with Adam Dalgleish and gave him a minatory glance as if welcoming a new patient from whom she expected trouble — P.D. James, The Black Tower

Synonyms

• minacious, ominous, sinister

abusive, bludgeoning, blustering, browbeating, bulldozing, bullying, comminatory, denunciatory, fear-inspiring, foreboding, hectoring, imminent, intimidating, lowering, menacing, minacious, ominous, terroristic, terrorizing, threatening, threatful