Premonitions
/ˌpriːməˈnɪʃənz/
nounC1plural
Definition
Premonitions are feelings or thoughts that warn a person about something that might happen soon, often without clear proof. People often describe premonitions as a kind of "sixth sense" or intuition that something important or dangerous is coming.
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See It in Action
A feeling or intuition about a future event, often negative
- •She had premonitions of a storm before the sky darkened.
- •His premonitions about the accident made him cancel the trip.
- •People sometimes say they had premonitions before important or scary events.
A strong mental impression or sign that something will happen
- •The old man spoke of premonitions that warned the village of danger.
- •Artists sometimes create works inspired by their premonitions.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "premonitions" like "feelings," but these feelings are about the future, not the present or past.
- ✓Picture a quiet voice inside your head telling you to be careful before something happens.
- ✓It's the uneasy feeling you get just before something bad or unexpected occurs, like a warning inside you.
- ✓Sounds like "PRE-muh-NISH-uns" → imagine a "premiere" (first) showing of a movie about future events that warn you.
- ✓In stories and movies, characters often have premonitions that help them avoid danger or prepare for a big event.
- ✓NOT like "memory" (which is about the past), premonitions are about what might happen next.
- ✓NOT like "prediction" (which is often based on facts or science), premonitions come from a feeling or sense inside you.
- ✓NOT like "warning" (which is usually given by someone else), premonitions come from within yourself.
Try Other Words
- •Intuition: a natural feeling about something without proof (Use when the feeling is about understanding or knowing something, not just warning)
- •Forewarning: a notice about something bad that will happen (Use when someone or something clearly gives a warning before an event)
- •Hunch: a guess or feeling about what will happen (Use for less strong or less clear feelings about the future)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: "pre-" (before) + "monition" (warning or advice)
- •Etymology: From Latin "praemonitio," meaning a warning or advice given beforehand
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s to describe a warning feeling or sign before an event
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe feelings or senses about future events, often in stories or when people feel something bad will happen
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever had a premonition that later came true? How did it feel?
•Can premonitions be trusted, or are they just imagination? How do you decide?
Fill in the blanks
1.She had premonitions of danger, so she decided to ___ the trip early.
2.Premonitions often come with a feeling of ___ or worry about what might happen.
3.Unlike a clear prediction, premonitions are more like a ___ or a sense inside you.
4.People say premonitions warn them ___ something bad happens.
5.A strong premonition can ___ someone to be more careful or ready.
6.Premonitions are different from memories because they look ___, not back.
7.When someone ignores their premonitions, they might be surprised by ___ events.