augury
C1Formal, Literary
Definition
Meaning
The practice of interpreting omens or signs from the natural world to predict future events.
A sign, omen, or prophecy; or a prophetic indication or portent of what will happen.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily refers to the practice of divination or the act of interpreting omens. The plural 'auguries' commonly refers to the observed omens or signs themselves.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or usage. Slightly more common in British historical/literary contexts due to classical education traditions.
Connotations
Connotes ancient Roman/Greek practices, mysticism, prophecy, and formal ceremony.
Frequency
Very low frequency in both dialects, found almost exclusively in literary, historical, or academic texts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
The augury of [something]an augury that [clause]to take [something] as an auguryby auguryVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A bird of ill augury”
- “A favourable augury”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rarely used. Might appear metaphorically: 'The CEO saw the strong Q1 sales as a good augury for the year ahead.'
Academic
Used in Classics, History, Religious Studies, and Anthropology to describe ancient divination practices.
Everyday
Extremely rare in casual conversation.
Technical
Used in specific anthropological or historical technical writing about ritual practices.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The dark clouds did not augur well for the village fête.
American English
- His early successes augured a brilliant career in politics.
adverb
British English
- He spoke augurally about the coming changes.
American English
- The signs pointed augurally toward a difficult winter.
adjective
British English
- The augural rites were performed before the battle.
American English
- She made an augural statement about the company's future.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- In ancient Rome, politicians used augury to decide if a day was good for important events.
- The flock of birds was seen as a good augury for their journey.
- The sudden calm before the storm was interpreted by the sailors as an augury of impending danger.
- Modern economists view consumer confidence as a reliable augury of market trends.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'AUGust' - a month named after the Roman emperor Augustus, who likely consulted augurs. 'Augury' sounds like 'August-ry', linking it to ancient Rome.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE FUTURE IS A WRITTEN TEXT (that can be read through signs/omens).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'август' (August).
- Not a direct synonym for modern 'предсказание' (prediction), which is more general. It implies a specific, often ritualistic, method of seeing the future.
Common Mistakes
- Using it as a verb (to augury). The verb is 'to augur'.
- Confusing 'augury' (the practice/sign) with 'augur' (the person who performs it).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary meaning of 'augury'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
'Augury' is often the *practice* or *act* of interpreting omens (e.g., Roman augury), or can be a synonym for an omen itself. An 'omen' is strictly the prophetic sign or event.
No, it is a low-frequency, formal word found primarily in literary, historical, or academic contexts.
The verb is 'to augur', as in 'This augurs well for us.' It means to be a sign of a likely outcome.
It derives from Latin 'augurium', related to the Roman official (an augur) who interpreted omens, especially from the flight of birds.