betoken
VerbOpen English WordNet
Verb (2)betokened, betokening
- be a signal for or a symptom of“These symptoms indicate a serious illness”“Her behavior points to a severe neurosis”“The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued”Synonyms: bespeakindicatepointsignalMore general tellMore specific mark, bode, promise, beat
- indicate, as with a sign or an omen“These signs bode bad news”Synonyms: bodeportendauspicateprognosticateomenpresageforeshadowaugurforetellprefigureforecastpredictMore general bespeak, indicateMore specific threaten, foreshow
Word of the day · Nov 7About this word
perennialadjective
What does it mean? Question 1 of today’s quiz
Webster's Dictionary (1913)
Be·to′ken (…), transitive verb [past tense & past participle Betokened (…); present participle & verbal noun Betokening.]
1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens.
A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow... Betokening peace from God, and covenant new.— John Milton
2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen or known; as, a dark cloud often betokens a storm.
Synonyms: To presage; portend; indicate; mark; note.
Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913), from GCIDE 0.54