a sign or warning of something that is going to happen in the future, especially when it is something unpleasant 预兆；征兆；先兆；（尤指）恶兆，凶兆 The event proved to be a portent of the disaster that was to come. 该事件证明是即将发生的灾难的预兆。 We shall try to reach an agreement but the portents are not good. 我们将努力达成协议，但预兆并不好。
Word Originlate 16th cent.: from Latin portentum ‘omen, token’, from the verb portendere, based on pro- ‘forth’ + tendere ‘stretch’.