intimidate

intimidate
transitive verb (-dated; -dating) Etymology: Medieval Latin intimidatus, past participle of intimidare, from Latin in- + timidus timid Date: 1646 to make timid or fearful ; frighten; especially to compel or deter by or as if by threats <
tried to intimidate a witness
>
intimidatingly adverbintimidation nounintimidator noun Synonyms: intimidate, cow, bulldoze, bully, browbeat mean to frighten into submission. intimidate implies inducing fear or a sense of inferiority into another <
intimidated by so many other bright freshmen
>
. cow implies reduction to a state where the spirit is broken or all courage is lost <
not at all cowed by the odds against making it in show business
>
. bulldoze implies an intimidating or an overcoming of resistance usually by urgings, demands, or threats <
bulldozed the city council into approving the plan
>
. bully implies intimidation through threats, insults, or aggressive behavior <
bullied into giving up their lunch money
>
. browbeat implies a cowing through arrogant, scornful, or contemptuous treatment <
browbeat the witness into a contradiction
>
.

New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.

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  • intimidate — intimidate, cow, bulldoze, bully, browbeat are comparable when meaning to frighten or coerce by frightening means into submission or obedience. Intimidate primarily implies a making timid or fearful, but it often suggests a display or application …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • intimidate — in·tim·i·date /in ti mə ˌdāt/ vt dat·ed, dat·ing 1: to make timid or fearful; esp: to compel or deter by or as if by threats see also coercion 2: to engage in the crime of intimidating (as a witness, juror, public officer in the performance of… …   Law dictionary

  • intimidate — (v.) 1640s, from M.L. intimidatus, pp. of intimidare to frighten, intimidate, from L. in in (see IN (Cf. in ) (2)) + timidus fearful (see TIMID (Cf. timid)). Related: Intimidated; intimidating …   Etymology dictionary

  • Intimidate — In*tim i*date, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Intimidated}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Intimidating}.] [LL. intimidatus, p. p. of intimidare to frighten; pref. in in + timidus fearful, timid: cf. F. intimider. See {Timid}.] To make timid or fearful; to inspire of… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • intimidate — [v] frighten, threaten alarm, appall, awe, badger, bait, bludgeon, bluster, bowl over*, browbeat*, buffalo*, bulldoze*, bully, chill, coerce, compel, constrain, cow*, daunt, dishearten, dismay, dispirit, disquiet, dragoon, enforce, force, hound* …   New thesaurus

  • intimidate — ► VERB ▪ frighten or overawe, especially so as to coerce into doing something. DERIVATIVES intimidation noun intimidator noun intimidatory adjective. ORIGIN Latin intimidare make timid …   English terms dictionary

  • intimidate — [in tim′ə dāt΄] vt. intimidated, intimidating [< ML intimidatus, pp. of intimidare, to make afraid < L in , in + timidus, afraid, TIMID] 1. to make timid; make afraid; daunt 2. to force or deter with threats or violence; cow intimidation n …   English World dictionary

  • intimidate — verb ADVERB ▪ physically, psychologically ▪ Dissidents were physically intimidated, threatened, and harshly interrogated. VERB + INTIMIDATE ▪ try to PREPOSITION …   Collocations dictionary

  • intimidate — 01. Toby is able to [intimidate] the other children because he is so much bigger than them. 02. It is very [intimidating] to speak in front of an audience, especially when you are doing it in a foreign language. 03. With her great intellect and… …   Grammatical examples in English

  • intimidate — v. (D; tr.) to intimidate into (to intimidate smb. into doing smt.) * * * [ɪn tɪmɪdeɪt] (D; tr.) to intimidate into (to intimidate smb. into doing smt.) …   Combinatory dictionary

  • intimidate — UK [ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt] / US [ɪnˈtɪmɪˌdeɪt] verb [transitive] Word forms intimidate : present tense I/you/we/they intimidate he/she/it intimidates present participle intimidating past tense intimidated past participle intimidated a) to deliberately make …   English dictionary

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