portentous

comparative more portentous · superlative most portentous · alternative portentuous

1. Of, relating to, or having the nature of, a portent.
   1. Portending or predicting that something will happen; foreshadowing; especially, portending an evil or unfortunate thing; ominous, threatening.

      Pardon me, my gentle brother, there is something portentous in this sudden change

      1829, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], “A Change in Conduct and in Character— […]”, in Devereux. A Tale. […], volume I, London: Henry Colburn, […], →OCLC, book I, page 32

      5 more examples

      Suche pꝛodigious ſightes were ſéene, ſuch vnnaturall woꝛking of the heauens, ſuch terrible ſightes on the earth, ſuch poꝛtentuous miracles then ſéene in Rome, that the Senatours came vnto Sibilla to knowe the effectes and endes of theſe monſtrous ſhowes, and to be inſtructed of the ſtate of the Citie, vnto whome ſhe gaue ſixe letters in wꝛitinges, thꝛée R. and thꝛée F. to be expounded of their wiſemen, which when the meaning was founde, that thꝛée R. was this, Regnum Romæ Ruet: and thꝛée F. was Flamma, Ferro, & Fame, that is as much to ſay, that the monarch of Rome ſhoulde periſh with fire, ſwoꝛde, and hunger.

      [1573?], Lodowicke Lloid [i.e., Ludovic Lloyd], The Pilgrimage of Princes, […], London: […] [John Charlewood and John Kingston? for] William Iones, […], →OCLC, folio 86, verso

      VVell may it ſort [i.e., be fitting] that this portentous figure / Comes armed through our vvatch ſo like the King / That vvas and is the queſtion of theſe vvarres.

      c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], signature B2, verso

      Let the Aſtrologer be diſmay'd at the portentous blaze of comets, and impreſſions in the aire as foretelling troubles and changes to ſtates: I ſhall beleeve there cannot be a more ill-boding ſigne to a Nation […] then vvhen the Inhabitants, to avoid inſufferable grievances at home, are inforc'd by heaps to forſake their native Country.

      1641 May, John Milton, “The Second Book”, in Of Reformation Touching Church-Discipline in England: And the Causes that hitherto have Hindred it. […], [London]: […] Thomas Vnderhill, →OCLC, page 57

      The Ancients alſo vvere of Opinion, that Dreaming of Blood prognoſticated Suffocation; if ſo, actual Bleeding muſt needs be more Portentuous than a meer Dream.

      1708 March 26–31, The British Apollo, or, Curious Amusements for the Ingenious. […], volume I, number 14, London: […] [F]or the Authors, by J[ohn] Mayo, […], →OCLC, signature O, verso, column 1

      Fires from beneath, and meteors from above / Portentous, unexampled, unexplained, / Have kindled beacons in the ſkies, and th' old / And crazy earth has had her ſhaking fits / More frequent, and foregone her uſual reſt.

      1785, William Cowper, “Book II. The Time-piece.”, in The Task, a Poem, […], London: […] J[oseph] Johnson; […], →OCLC, page 48

      Synonyms: predictive, premonitory, prognosticatory, prophetic, augurous, baleful, bodeful, boding · Antonyms: unportentous

   2. Arrogant or grand in an affected manner; pompous, pretentious.

      If such portentous lines as these may be introduced without reason, and without authority, there is an end of all editorship.

      1805, William Gifford, “A Very Woman; or, The Prince of Tarent”, in Philip Massinger, John Fletcher, edited by W. Gifford, The Plays of Philip Massinger, […], volume IV, London: […] G[eorge] and W[illiam] Nicol; […] by W[illiam] Bulmer and Co. […], →OCLC, Act II, scene iii, footnote 3, page 269

      1 more example

      The main problem with To Believe, however, is that by combining two of their previous styles, the Cinematic Orchestra have landed on a sound that has become ubiquitous in the years they’ve been away – portentous, restrained and impeccably tasteful electronica. With that in mind, this is an album that feels accomplished but unremarkable, neither possessing the kind of experimentalism that might push things forward nor idiosyncratic enough to stand out in a newly crowded marketplace.

      2019 March 15, Rachel Aroesti, “The Cinematic Orchestra: To Believe review – soundscape originators’ accomplished return”, in Katharine Viner, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 26 Nov 2024

      Synonyms: airy, arrogant, chesty, authoritarian, biggity, big-headed, blustery, turgescent · Antonyms: unportentous

   3. archaicWith a positive connotation: extraordinary, marvellous, wonderful; also, of great quantity or size; enormous, huge.

      There huge Orion of portentous size, / Svvift thro' the gloom a Giant-hunter flies; […]

      1725, Homer, “Book XI”, in [William Broome], transl., The Odyssey of Homer. […], volume III, London: […] Bernard Lintot, →OCLC, page 121, lines 703–704

      5 more examples

      On the banke of this ryuer there is a towne of ſuch portentous byggenes as I dare not ſpeake.

      1555, Peter Martyr of Angleria [i.e., Peter Martyr d’Anghiera], “The Laste Booke of Peter Martyr of Angleria, of the Landes and Ilandes Lately Founde: And of the Maners of the Inhabitauntes of the Same”, in Rycharde [i.e., Richard] Eden, transl., The Decades of the Newe Worlde or West India, […], London: […] [Rycharde Jug for] Guilhelmi Powell, →OCLC, 3rd decade, folio 159, recto

      Nor is it any Paradox, but vvhat vvill abide the touch, That competent forces of able and vvell-appointed and vvell-diſciplined ſouldiers under an experienced Generall, are farre more uſefull then ſuch an unvveldie multitude. […] So ſhall vve find braver atchievements by moderate armies, then by ſuch portentous and extravagant numbers.

      1639, Thomas Fuller, “What is to be Conceived of the Incredible Numerousnesse of Many Armies Mentioned in this Storie”, in The Historie of the Holy Warre, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: […] Thomas Buck, one of the printers to the Universitie of Cambridge [and sold by John Williams, London], →OCLC, book V (A Supplement of the Historie of the Holy Warre), page 261

      Such a Deluge as that vvhich Moſes repreſents, vvhereby All the high Hills that vvere under the vvhole Heaven vvere covered, vvould require a portentous quantity of VVater; […]

      1695, John Woodward, “Part III. Concerning the Fluids of the Globe. Sect. II. Of the Universality of the Deluge. Of the Water which Effected It. Together with Some Further Particulars Concerning It.”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: […], London: […] Ric[hard] Wilkin […], →OCLC, page 157

      I ſhall take a vievv […] of vvhat the aſſembly has done, […] to ſee vvhether vve can diſcover in any part of their ſchemes the portentous ability, vvhich may juſtify theſe bold undertakers in the ſuperiority vvhich they aſſume over mankind.

      1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 252

      In this state was Britain thirty years ago.— […] our commerce became so improved, by the assistance of our advancement in the fine arts, […] Since that portentuous period, the wealth of our happy country has greatly increased, and peace with victory have, at length, intertwined their verdant wreaths around the dignified forehead of distinguished Britain.

      1821, W[illiam] M[arshall] Craig, “Lecture I”, in A Course of Lectures on Drawing, Painting, and Engraving, Considered as Branches of Elegant Education. […], London: […] Longman, Hurst, Rees, Orme, and Brown, […], →OCLC, page 4

      Synonyms: ample, big, bodacious, broad, commodious, considerable, exceeding, expansive · Antonyms: unportentous

   4. archaicWith a negative connotation: frightful, horrendous, monstrous.

      [A]ll theſe chimeras of a monſtrous and portentous policy, muſt aggravate the confuſions from vvhich they have ariſen.

      1790 November, Edmund Burke, Reflections on the Revolution in France, and on the Proceedings in Certain Societies in London Relative to that Event. […], London: […] J[ames] Dodsley, […], →OCLC, page 314

      3 more examples

      There is alſo founde a foure foted beaſt of mõstrous [monstrous] ſhape, whoſe former parte is lyke vnto a wolfe, ſauing that the feete are lyke vnto the fete of a man, with eares like an owle: Hauinge alſo beneath his comon belye, another belye lyke vnto a purſe or bagge, in which he kepeth his yonge whelpes ſo longe, vntyll they be able ſafely to wãder [wander] abrode alone, and to geat theyr meate withoute the helpe of theyr parentes. […] This portentous beaſt with her three whelpes, was brought to Ciuile [Seville] in Spaine, and from thence to Granata.

      1553, Sebastian M[ü]nster, “[Of the Newe India and Ilãdes in the West Ocean Sea, How, When, and by Whõ They were Found.] How Pinzonus [Vicente Yáñez Pinzón], Companion to the Admirall [Christopher Columbus], Sought Newe Ilandes.”, in Rycharde [i.e., Richard] Eden, transl., A Treatyse of the Newe India, […], London: […] [Steven Mierdman for] Edward Sutton, →OCLC, signature [K.vj.], recto

      I had almoſt askt-⁠-⁠-qui gurges, aut quis tartarus hoc ſcelus-⁠-eſt auſus attrectare [what whirlpool, or what Tartarus, dared to touch this crime]? ſith in ſo many thouſãds [thousands] of years from the fal of the reprobate and faithleſſe angels it neuer came into the head of anie deuil to ſuggeſt to the hart of any mã [man] before this time ſo nefarious, flagitius, portentuous a vvickedneſſe, as this vvas?

      1607 November 15 (date delivered; Gregorian calendar), John Kinge [i.e., John King], A Sermon Preached in Oxford: The 5. of November. 1607, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] Ioseph Barnes, published 1607, →OCLC, page 23

      Here vvas, vve ſee, a mighty Revolution: […] the moſt horrible and portentous Cataſtrophe that Nature ever yet ſavv: an elegant, orderly, and habitable Earth quite unhinged, ſhattered all to pieces, and turned into a heap of ruins: […]

      1695, John Woodward, “Part II. Concerning the Universal Deluge. […]”, in An Essay toward a Natural History of the Earth: And Terrestrial Bodies, Especially Minerals: […], London: […] Ric[hard] Wilkin […], →OCLC, page 82

      Antonyms: unportentous