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Word of the Day : February 2, 2019
portend \por-TEND\ verb
Definition
1 : to give an omen or anticipatory sign of
2 : indicate, signify
Did You Know?
Portend has been used in English in the context of signs of things to come since the 15th century. The word derives from the Latin verb portendere, which means "to predict or foretell." That verb, in turn, developed as a combination of the prefix por- (meaning "forward") and the verb tendere (meaning "to stretch"). So you can think of portend as having a literal meaning of "stretching forward to predict." Additional descendants of tendere include extend, tendon, and tension, among others.
Aired February 2, 2019
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