Library / English Dictionary

INTIMIDATE

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 I. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Make timid or fearful

Example:

Her boss intimidates her

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "intimidate" is one way to...):

affright; fright; frighten; scare (cause fear in)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "intimidate"):

hold over (intimidate somebody (with a threat))

ballyrag; boss around; browbeat; bully; bullyrag; hector; push around; strong-arm (be bossy towards)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot intimidate Sue

Derivation:

intimidation (the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something)

intimidation (a communication that makes you afraid to try something)

intimidation (the feeling of being intimidated; being made to feel afraid or timid)

Sense 2

Meaning:

To compel or deter by or as if by threats

Classified under:

Verbs of feeling

Hypernyms (to "intimidate" is one way to...):

discourage (deprive of courage or hope; take away hope from; cause to feel discouraged)

"Intimidate" entails doing...:

warn (notify of danger, potential harm, or risk)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "intimidate"):

dash; daunt; frighten away; frighten off; pall; scare; scare away; scare off (cause to lose courage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s somebody
Something ----s somebody

Sentence example:

Sam cannot intimidate Sue

Derivation:

intimidation (the act of intimidating a weaker person to make them do something)

intimidation (a communication that makes you afraid to try something)

Credits

 Context examples: 

All that they saw of him was his bushy tail and fleeing hind legs—a view far less ferocious and intimidating than his bristling mane and gleaming fangs.

(White Fang, by Jack London)