intimidate
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in·tim·i·date
(ĭn-tĭm′ĭ-dāt′)tr.v. in·tim·i·dat·ed, in·tim·i·dat·ing, in·tim·i·dates
1. To make timid; fill with fear: The size of the opposing players intimidated us.
2. To coerce or deter, as with threats: The police intimidated the suspect into signing a false statement.
[Medieval Latin intimidāre, intimidāt- : Latin in-, causative pref.; see in-2 + Latin timidus, timid; see timid.]
in·tim′i·dat′ing·ly adv.
in·tim′i·da′tion n.
in·tim′i·da′tor n.
Synonyms: intimidate, browbeat, cow2, bully1
These verbs all mean to frighten into submission, compliance, or acquiescence. Intimidate implies the presence or operation of a fear-inspiring force: "It [atomic energy] may intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs" (Albert Einstein).
Browbeat suggests the persistent application of highhanded, disdainful, or imperious tactics: browbeating a witness. Cow implies bringing out an abject state of timorousness and often demoralization: a dog that was cowed by abuse. To bully is to intimidate through blustering, domineering, or threatening behavior: workers who were bullied into accepting a poor contract.
These verbs all mean to frighten into submission, compliance, or acquiescence. Intimidate implies the presence or operation of a fear-inspiring force: "It [atomic energy] may intimidate the human race into bringing order into its international affairs" (Albert Einstein).
Browbeat suggests the persistent application of highhanded, disdainful, or imperious tactics: browbeating a witness. Cow implies bringing out an abject state of timorousness and often demoralization: a dog that was cowed by abuse. To bully is to intimidate through blustering, domineering, or threatening behavior: workers who were bullied into accepting a poor contract.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
intimidate
(ɪnˈtɪmɪˌdeɪt)vb (tr)
1. to make timid or frightened; scare
2. to discourage, restrain, or silence illegally or unscrupulously, as by threats or blackmail
[C17: from Medieval Latin intimidāre, from Latin in-2 + timidus fearful, from timor fear]
inˈtimiˌdating adj
inˌtimiˈdation n
inˈtimiˌdator n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
in•tim•i•date
(ɪnˈtɪm ɪˌdeɪt)v.t. -dat•ed, -dat•ing.
1. to make timid; fill with fear.
2. to overawe or cow, as through the force of one's personality or by display of wealth, talent, etc.
3. to force into or deter from some action by inducing fear.
in•tim`i•da′tion, n.
in•tim′i•da`tor, n.
syn: See discourage.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
intimidate
Past participle: intimidated
Gerund: intimidating
| Imperative |
|---|
| intimidate |
| intimidate |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Verb | 1. | intimidate - make timid or fearful; "Her boss intimidates her" affright, fright, frighten, scare - cause fear in; "The stranger who hangs around the building frightens me"; "Ghosts could never affright her" hold over - intimidate somebody (with a threat); "She was holding it over him" ballyrag, boss around, browbeat, bully, bullyrag, hector, push around, strong-arm - be bossy towards; "Her big brother always bullied her when she was young" |
| 2. | intimidate - to compel or deter by or as if by threats daunt, frighten away, frighten off, scare away, scare off, pall, scare, dash - cause to lose courage; "dashed by the refusal" discourage - deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
intimidate
verb frighten, pressure, threaten, alarm, scare, terrify, cow, bully, plague, menace, hound, awe, daunt, harass, subdue, oppress, persecute, lean on (informal), coerce, overawe, scare off (informal), terrorize, pressurize, browbeat, twist someone's arm (informal), tyrannize, dishearten, dispirit, scare the bejesus out of (informal), affright (archaic), domineer Attempts to intimidate people into voting for them failed.
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
intimidate
verbThe American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
يُرْهِبُيُفْزِع، يُخيف، يُرْعِب
zastrašit
intimidereskræmme
pelotella
prestrašiti
hræîa, ógna
おじけづかせる
위협하다
įbauginimas
iebaidītiebiedēt
skrämma
ข่มขู่คุกคาม
đe dọa
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
intimidate
[ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt] vt → intimiderto intimidate sb into doing sth → intimider qn pour qu'il fasse qch
They attempted to intimidate people into voting for the governing party → Ils tentaient d'intimider la population pour qu'elle vote en faveur du parti au pouvoir.
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
intimidate
vt → einschüchtern; they intimidated him into not telling the police → sie schüchterten ihn so ein, dass er der Polizei nichts erzählte; we won’t be intimidated → wir lassen uns nicht einschüchtern
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
intimidate
(inˈtimideit) verb to frighten eg by threatening violence.
inˌtimiˈdation nounKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
intimidate
→ يُرْهِبُ zastrašit intimidere einschüchtern εκφοβίζω intimidar pelotella intimider prestrašiti intimidire おじけづかせる 위협하다 intimideren true onieśmielić intimidar запугивать skrämma ข่มขู่คุกคาม gözünü korkutmak đe dọa 胁迫Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009