{
    "term": "menace",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "a person or thing that causes, or may cause, serious damage, harm or danger",
            "sensetop": "menace (to somebody/something)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a new initiative aimed at beating the menace of illegal drugs"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The back-bench rebels remain a potential menace to the stability of the government."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He's a menace to society."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Local traders are struggling to combat the menace of armed robbery."
                },
                {
                    "text": "the menace posed by car fumes"
                }
            ],
            "synonyms": "threat",
            "topics": ["Danger"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["growing", "increasing", "great"],
                "verb + menace": ["pose", "combat", "counter"],
                "preposition": ["menace to"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "an atmosphere that makes you feel threatened or frightened",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "**a sense/an air/a hint of menace** in his voice"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The scar down his face added to his air of menace."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her eyes were glittering with menace."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Feelings"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["hidden", "quiet", "silent"],
                "preposition": ["with menace"],
                "phrases": ["an air of menace"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "a person or thing that is annoying or causes trouble",
            "labels": "(informal)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "They have become a public menace."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Personal qualities"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "threats that somebody will cause harm if they do not get what they are asking for",
            "sensetop": "with menaces",
            "labels": "(British English, law)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "to demand money with menaces",
                    "contextForm": "with menaces"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmenəs/",
                "audio": "me/menace/menace__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/ˈmenəs/",
                "audio": "me/menace/menace__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: via Old French from late Latin minacia, from Latin minax, minac- ‘threatening’, from minae ‘threats’."
}