Por-tend', v. t.

[imp. & p. p. PORTENDED; p. pr. & vb. n. PORTENDING.] [Lat. portendere, portentum, an archaic collateral form, belonging to religious language, from pretendere, to stretch forth, and hence to indicate, foretell, from pro, forward, forth, and tendere, to stretch; It. portendere.] To stretch out before; to indicate as in the future; to foreshow; to foretoken.

Many signs portended a dark and stormy day. Macaulay.

Synonyms—To foreshow; foretoken; betoken; forebode; augur; presage; threaten.