Threats Against/At/Toward

[learningspirit]

I have a question about the preposition to use with "threat":


1. "He made threats against her."
2. "He made threats at her."
3. "He made threats toward her."


Should it be "against", "at", or "toward"?

 

[MikeNewYork]

Against.

 

[learningspirit]

@MikeNewYork

So, the "at" and "toward" versions are universally-condemned nonstandard variants of the "against" version?

 

[MikeNewYork]

I doubt that anything is universal.

 

[Rover_KE]

I could accept 'against' or 'towards', but not 'at'.

(BE 'towards' = AE 'toward'.)

 

[Raymott]

So, the "at" and "toward" versions are universally-condemned nonstandard variants of the "against" version?

"He was casting threats at workers as he left the office."
The preposition doesn't just rely on the following noun. Your response seems to infer that the only thing you can do with threats is "make" them. But if you change the verb, you can use different prepositions. And you'll find this happens a lot.

 

[Oceanlike]

Is it correct to say: He was hurling threats at the teacher.

 

[MikeNewYork]

That would be unusual.

 

[emsr2d2]

"He hurled insults at the teacher" would work in BrE.