OMEN

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does omen mean? 

• OMEN (noun)
  The noun OMEN has 1 sense:

1. a sign of something about to happen

  Familiarity information: OMEN used as a noun is very rare.

• OMEN (verb)
  The verb OMEN has 1 sense:

1. indicate, as with a sign or an omen

  Familiarity information: OMEN used as a verb is very rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• OMEN (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A sign of something about to happen

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

omen; portent; presage; prodigy; prognostic; prognostication

Context example:

he looked for an omen before going into battle

Hypernyms ("omen" is a kind of...):

augury; foretoken; preindication; sign (an event that is experienced as indicating important things to come)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "omen"):

auspice (a favorable omen)

foreboding (an unfavorable omen)

death knell (an omen of death or destruction)

Derivation:

omen (indicate, as with a sign or an omen)

ominous (presaging ill fortune)

ominous (threatening or foreshadowing evil or tragic developments)

• OMEN (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Indicate, as with a sign or an omen

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

augur; auspicate; betoken; bode; forecast; foreshadow; foretell; omen; portend; predict; prefigure; presage; prognosticate

Context example:

These signs bode bad news

Hypernyms (to "omen" is one way to...):

bespeak; betoken; indicate; point; signal (be a signal for or a symptom of)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "omen"):

threaten (to be a menacing indication of something)

foreshow (foretell by divine inspiration)

Sentence frame:

Something ----s something

Derivation:

omen (a sign of something about to happen)

 Context examples 

And so the journey began with the good omens of sunshine, smiles, and cheerful words.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

Yet of the moderns there are many who scoff at all omens.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

What should he be doing at that house of ill-omen?

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

My departure was therefore fixed at an early date, but before the day resolved upon could arrive, the first misfortune of my life occurred—an omen, as it were, of my future misery.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

We lay in the midst of an unearthly quiet, while all about us were signs and omens of oncoming sound and movement.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

This was a sad omen of what her mother's behaviour to the gentleman himself might be; and Elizabeth found that, though in the certain possession of his warmest affection, and secure of her relations' consent, there was still something to be wished for.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

This was an evil omen.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

Soon the sun came out, and taking it as a good omen, I cleared up likewise and enjoyed my journey with all my heart.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

The day had been dull and overcast, but the sun now burst through the clouds, a welcome omen, and shone upon the curving beach where together we had dared the lords of the harem and slain the holluschickie.

(The Sea-Wolf, by Jack London)

As she rolled away, the sun came out, and looking back, she saw it shining on the group at the gate like a good omen.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)