The DICT Development Group

  Portend \Por*tend"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Portended; p. pr. &
     vb. n. Portending.] [L. portendre, portentum, to foretell,
     to predict, to impend, from an old preposition used in comp.
     + tendere to stretch. See Position, Tend.]
     1. To indicate (events, misfortunes, etc.) as in future; to
        foreshow; to foretoken; to bode; -- now used esp. of
        unpropitious signs. --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Many signs portended a dark and stormy day.
                                                    --Macaulay.
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     2. To stretch out before. [R.] "Doomed to feel the great
        Idomeneus' portended steel." --Pope.
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     Syn: To foreshow; foretoken; betoken; forebode; augur;
          presage; foreshadow; threaten.
          [1913 Webster]

  portend
      v 1: indicate by signs; "These signs bode bad news" [syn:
           bode, portend, auspicate, prognosticate, omen,
           presage, betoken, foreshadow, augur, foretell,
           prefigure, forecast, predict]

  34 Moby Thesaurus words for "portend":
     adumbrate, apprehend, augur, betoken, bode, call, croak, forebode,
     forecast, foreshadow, foreshow, foretoken, forewarn,
     give advance notice, have a premonition, have a presentiment,
     look black, lower, menace, omen, preapprehend, precaution, predict,
     premonish, prenotify, presage, prewarn, prognosticate, promise,
     prophesy, tell in advance, threaten, vaticinate, warn