Word of the Day: Harbinger
A harbinger is someone or something that indicates something bad is going to happen soon.
After the massive earthquake and tsunami in Thailand a few years ago, most people now know that if the ocean along the coast suddenly recedes, it could be a harbinger of a coming tsunami, and they should run for the hills.
As a less severe example, if the sky starts to cloud over, it may be a good time to end your picnic and head for home because the clouds could be a harbinger of a coming storm.
It’s not a lot of fun to have a picnic in the rain.