presage

[ noun pres-ij; verb pres-ij, pri-seyj ]

noun

1. a presentiment or foreboding.

   Synonyms: premonition, indication

2. something that portends or foreshadows a future event; an omen, prognostic, or warning indication.

   Synonyms: token, sign, portent

3. prophetic significance; augury.
4. foresight; prescience.
5. Archaic. a forecast or prediction.

verb (used with object)

, pres·aged, pres·ag·ing.

1. to have a presentiment of.
2. to portend, foreshow, or foreshadow:

   The incidents may presage war.

3. to forecast; predict.

verb (used without object)

, pres·aged, pres·ag·ing.

1. to make a prediction.
2. Archaic. to have a presentiment.

presage

noun

1. an intimation or warning of something about to happen; portent; omen
2. a sense of what is about to happen; foreboding
3. archaic.
   a forecast or prediction

verb

1. tr to have a presentiment of
2. tr to give a forewarning of; portend
3. intr to make a prediction

Derived Forms

• preˈsageful, adjective
• preˈsagefully, adverb
• preˈsager, noun

Other Words From

• presage·ful adjective
• presage·ful·ly adverb
• presag·er noun
• un·presaged adjective
• un·presag·ing adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of presage¹

1350–1400; Middle English (noun) < Middle French presage < Latin praesāgium presentiment, forewarning, equivalent to praesāg ( us ) having a foreboding ( prae- pre- + sāgus prophetic; sagacious ) + -ium -ium

Word History and Origins

Origin of presage¹

C14: from Latin praesāgium presentiment, from praesāgīre to perceive beforehand, from sāgīre to perceive acutely

Example Sentences

But Trump’s departure from presidential politics would presage the end of the Republican identity crisis, not the beginning.

From Los Angeles Times

But some familiar with the company think the headquarters relocation announcement could presage a larger presence in Texas.

From Los Angeles Times

And, ultimately, it would not make much sense at all to begin pondering whether this could presage the real and true end of seeing competitive tennis from any of the so-called Big Three, after Djokovic joined contemporaries and rivals Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal to claim title after title — 66 Grand Slam trophies combined — and spend week after week at No. 1 in the ATP rankings.

From Seattle Times

They worry that its spread in cattle, which it has never before been known to infect, could presage a jump to people.

From Science Magazine

“That is all preposterous. But the court fears that such destructive, misguided rhetoric could presage further danger to our country.”

From New York Times