BETOKEN

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

(verb) indicate, as with a sign or an omen; “These signs bode bad news”

bespeak, betoken, indicate, point, signal

(verb) be a signal for or a symptom of; “These symptoms indicate a serious illness”; “Her behavior points to a severe neurosis”; “The economic indicators signal that the euro is undervalued”

Source: WordNet® 3.1

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Etymology

Verb

betoken (third-person singular simple present betokens, present participle betokening, simple past and past participle betokened)

(transitive) To signify by some visible object; show by signs or tokens.

(transitive) To foreshow by present signs; indicate something future by that which is seen or known.

Synonyms

• (signify): indicate, mark, note

• (foreshow): portend, presage, forebode

Source: Wiktionary

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Be*to"ken, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Betokened; p. pr. & vb. n. Betokening.]

1. To signify by some visible object; to show by signs or tokens. A dewy cloud, and in the cloud a bow . . . Betokening peace from God, and covenant new. Milton.

2. To foreshow by present signs; to indicate something future by that which is seen or known; as, a dark cloud often betokens a storm.

Syn.

– To presage; portend; indicate; mark; note.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition

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