different between imply vs betoken

English

Etymology

From Middle English implien, emplien, borrowed from Old French emplier, from Latin implicare (“to infold, involve”), from in (“in”) + plicare (“to fold”). Doublet of employ and implicate.

Pronunciation

• (General American, Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?m?pla?/
• Rhymes: -a?
• Hyphenation: im?ply

Verb

imply (third-person singular simple present implies, present participle implying, simple past and past participle implied)

1. (transitive, of a proposition) to have as a necessary consequence

2. (transitive, of a person) to suggest by logical inference

3. (transitive, of a person or proposition) to hint; to insinuate; to suggest tacitly and avoid a direct statement

4. (archaic) to enfold, entangle.

Conjugation

Usage notes

• This is a catenative verb that takes the gerund (-ing). See Appendix:English catenative verbs

Synonyms

• (to have as a necessary consequence): entail
• (to suggest tacitly): allude, hint, insinuate, suggest

Related terms

• implicate
• implication
• implicative
• implicit
• implicitness
• implision

Translations

See also

• connotation
• entail

Further reading

• imply in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• imply in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

English

Etymology

From Middle English bitoknen, bitacnen, from Old English bet?cnian (“to betoken, signify, designate”). Equivalent to be- +? token. Cognate with Dutch betekenen (“to mean, signify”), German bezeichnen (“to call, designate”), Swedish beteckna (“to represent, designate, indicate”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /b??to?.k?n/
• Rhymes: -??k?n

Verb

betoken (third-person singular simple present betokens, present participle betokening, simple past and past participle betokened)

1. (transitive) To signify by some visible object; show by signs or tokens.
   • 1557: Robert Recorde, The whetstone of witte, whiche is the seconde parte of Arithmetike?:?containyng the xtraction of Rootes?:?The Cossike practise, with the rule of Equation?:?and the workes of Surde Nombers.^?, page unknown (Ihon Kyngstone)

     There be other 2 signes in often use of which the first is made thus?+?and betokeneth more?:?the other is thus made?–?and betokeneth lesse.
2. (transitive) To foreshow by present signs; indicate something future by that which is seen or known.
   • 1853: Virgil, Charles Anthon, LL.D. [tr.], Æneïd of Virgil: With English Notes, Critical and Explanatory, a Metrical Clavis: And an Historical, Geographical, and Mythological Index, page 474 (Harper & Brothers, 329 & 331 Pearl Street, Franklin Square, New York)

     “?Ah?!?hospitable land, thou (nevertheless) betokenest war,” i.?e., although hospitable, thou nevertheless betokenest war.?—?Bello.

Synonyms

• (signify): indicate, mark, note
• (foreshow): portend, presage, forebode

Translations

References

• betoken in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.