the.com/threat
A promise nobody wants kept, delivered for the flinch as much as the follow-through.
means A stated or implied intention to cause harm, loss, or trouble unless something changes.
from From Old English threat, meaning a crowd or oppression, tied to thringan, to press or crush — a threat was once the squeeze of a mob bearing down.
Legal weightA credible threat alone can be a crime.
Body knowsBrains process threats faster than rewards.
Empty kindThe bluff is older than the blade.