presentiment

Definitions

pre- (before) + sent (feel) + -ment (state) = a feeling felt beforehand. This one genuinely IS a sent word (unlike present): pre- + sentīre = to feel in advance. A presentiment is the uneasy sense that something is coming before any evidence appears — usually dread.

Why It Means This

Don't confuse presentiment with presentation — they only look alike. presentiment = pre- + sentīre (feel beforehand), a genuine sent word meaning a foreboding. presentation = present (be at hand) + -ation, from esse (to be), nothing to do with feeling. The little -i- and the meaning 'foreboding' mark the real sent word.

Common Collocations

• 1.vague presentiment隐约的预感
• 2.presentiment of doom厄运的预感
• 3.presentiment of danger危险的预感
• 4.dark presentiment不祥的预感

Example Sentences

• 1.

  She had a vague presentiment that the trip would go wrong.

• 2.

  A dark presentiment kept him awake all night.