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Denote vs Portend - What's the difference?

denote | portend |

In transitive terms the difference between denote and portend

is that denote is to refer to literally; to convey meaning while portend is to signify; to denote.

denote

English

Verb

(denot)
  • To indicate; to mark.
  • The yellow blazes denote the trail.
  • To make overt.
  • The tears denoted her true feelings.
  • To refer to literally; to convey meaning.
  • "Pre-" denotes "before."

    Derived terms

    * denotation * denotative ----

    portend

    English

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • to serve as a warning or omen
  • * John Milton, Paradise Lost
  • A kingdom they portend thee, but what kingdom, / Real or allegoric, I discern not; Nor when: eternal sure--as without end,
  • to signify; to denote
  • Let it be known that the Rapture portends the End of Days.
  • * {{quote-news
  • , year=2012 , date=June 26 , author=Genevieve Koski , title=Music: Reviews: Justin Bieber: Believe , work=The Onion AV Club citation , page= , passage=When the staccato, Neptunes-ian single “Boyfriend” was released in March, musical prognosticators were quick to peg the album it portended , Believe, as Justin Bieber’s Justified, a grown-and-sexy, R&B-centric departure that evolved millennial teenybopper Justin Timberlake into one of the unifying pop-music figures of the aughts.}}

    Synonyms

    * foreshadow * presage

    See also

    * harbinger