augur Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun (ancient Rome) a religious official who interpreted omens to guide public policy
    auspex.
  2. verb indicate by signs
    omen; prefigure; auspicate; bode; betoken; portend; foreshadow; predict; foretell; prognosticate; forecast; presage.
    • These signs bode bad news
  3. verb predict from an omen

WordNet

Au"gur noun
Etymology
L. Of uncertain origin: the first part of the word is perh. fr. L. avis bird, and the last syllable, gur, equiv. to the Skr. gar to call, akin to L. garrulus garrulous.
Definitions
  1. (Rom. Antiq.) An official diviner who foretold events by the singing, chattering, flight, and feeding of birds, or by signs or omens derived from celestial phenomena, certain appearances of quadrupeds, or unusual occurrences.
  2. One who foretells events by omens; a soothsayer; a diviner; a prophet.
    Augur of ill, whose tongue was never found Without a priestly curse or boding sound. Dryden.
Au"gur intransitive verb
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Augured ; present participle & verbal noun Auguring
Definitions
  1. To conjecture from signs or omens; to prognosticate; to foreshow.
    My auguring mind assures the same success. Dryden.
  2. To anticipate, to foretell, or to indicate a favorable or an unfavorable issue; as, to augur well or ill.
Au"gur transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To predict or foretell, as from signs or omens; to betoken; to presage; to infer.
    It seems to augur genius. Sir W. Scott.
    I augur everything from the approbation the proposal has met with. J. F. W. Herschel.
    Syn. -- To predict; forebode; betoken; portend; presage; prognosticate; prophesy; forewarn.

Webster 1913