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 with the correct word:
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.