Standard Lemma guide
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
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verb
To signify by some visible object; show by signs or tokens.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
To foreshow by present signs; indicate something future by that which is seen or known.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
indicate by signs
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen, presage, foreshadow, augur, foretell, prefigure, forecast, predict
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: bespeak, betoken, indicate, point, signal
Narrower terms: threaten, foreshow
verb
be a signal for or a symptom of
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Synonyms: bespeak, indicate, point, signal
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: tell
Narrower terms: bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen, presage, betoken, foreshadow, augur, foretell, prefigure, forecast, predict, mark
History
From Middle English bitoknen, bitacnen, from Old English betācnian (“to betoken, signify, designate”), from Proto-West Germanic *bitaiknijan. Equivalent to be- + token. Cognate with Dutch betekenen (“to mean, signify”), German bezeichnen (“to call, designate”), Swedish beteckna (“to represent, designate, indicate”) and Danish betegne (“to represent, designate, indicate”).
Across languages
12 source translations are retained for this English entry.
