a sign or warning of something that is going to happen in the future, especially when it is something unpleasant synonym omen預兆;征兆;先兆;(尤指)惡兆,兇兆 The event proved to be a portent of the disaster that was to come. 這一事件被證明是即將到來的災難的預兆。 We shall try to reach an agreement but the portents are not good. 我們將努力達成協議,但前景不妙。
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin portentum ‘omen, token’, from the verb portendere, based on pro- ‘forth’ + tendere ‘stretch’.