a. rare. [f. THREAT sb. + -FUL.] Full of threats; threatening.

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c. 1557.  Abp. Parker, Ps., E iij. The thretfull warninges of the judgement.

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1611.  Speed, Hist. Gt. Brit., IX. viii. (1623), 582. By their threatfull letters.

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1760–72.  H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1809), IV. 129. A threatful and agile whirl of his staff.

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1882.  Farrar, Early Chr., II. 6. Not the threatful Law of Moses,… but the royal Law, the perfect Law of liberty.

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  Hence Threatfully adv., threateningly.

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1565.  Stapleton, trans. Bede’s Hist. Ch. Eng., 50. S. Austen thretfully proficied, that, if they would not take peace … with their brethern, they should receaue … warre from their enemies.

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1634.  Sir T. Herbert, Trav., 190. [A] flaming Semiter (threatfully held against him).

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1822.  Hood, Lycus, vi. The spirits of sin … that … threatfully warr’d with the light.

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