intimidate

The first thing to do to know the meaning of this term to intimidate that concerns us is to know its etymological origin. In this case, it must be established that there are many uncertainties in this regard, although the theory that takes on the most weight is the one that states that it derives from Portuguese, specifically, from the word “medorento”. This is a Portuguese adjective that can be translated as "coward" or "fearful".

However, it is also necessary to know that, in turn, it is considered that the word from which it comes derives in turn from the vulgar Latin, from "metorentus", which also means "fearful". A word resulting from the sum of two clearly delimited components: the noun “metus”, which is synonymous with “fear”, and the suffix “-entus”, which is used to indicate a physical condition or a state.

The verb intimidate make reference to provoke fear. The notion is often used as a synonym for threaten or from press. For example: "I am not going to let myself be intimidated by the powerful who do not want this country to offer opportunities for everyone", "For many years, the army was used to intimidate the population", "The thief tried to intimidate the young woman, but the girl resisted".

The intimidation (that is, the act and result of bullying) involves exercising a Pressure or depositing a symbolic charge on the person receiving the action. In this way, the intimidated subject is expected to act according to the demands of the person in charge of intimidating.

Take the case of a journalist that publishes a note in a newspaper denouncing a case of corruption involving a deputy. A few days after the article was published, someone leaves an envelope with a Photography where the journalist's children appear playing in a square. It is an initiative that, clearly, seeks to intimidate the reporter: with the image they are showing them that their children are being watched or stalked. For the journalist, the message is a warning linked to his complaint and the possible consequences that his children may suffer if he continues to publish these types of notes.

A mobster, on the other hand, can intimidate someone who owes him money shooting his car and warning him that, if he does not pay his debt, the following shots will be directed directly at him.

Within the scope of more recent politics, the verb to intimidate is used very frequently. And it is that, periodically, situations and measures that certain figures of weight at that level have used to intimidate rivals, colleagues and even institutions or citizens come to light. Thus, for example, we can highlight from actions that can be carried out by a government to "scare" the people and ensure that they do not rise up against them to other tasks that are carried out by political parties to prevent other opponents from making their actions known out of legality. All in order to maintain their situation of power.