betoken

verb

1. (transitive)To signify by some visible object; show by signs or tokens.

   “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.”

   “During the fight, we ran forward a few paces, but a heavy, rushing flight betokened an easy victory, and the stranger flew away.”

   “Here, too, there is a marked change in the character of the country, for Tondu lies at the foot of the imposing mass of the central group of Glamorgan mountains, betokening the stiff gradients that lie ahead.”

   “The new propaganda for the route, modest though it is in content and extent so far, does seem to betoken a BR effort to improve its carryings and save the service from extinction.”

   ““Now, for every power that you accrue, you shall receive a star badge like these. This final star betokens the rank of ultimate wizard.””

2. (transitive)To foreshow by present signs; indicate something future by that which is seen or known.

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

   “Since the Report was published there has been a rather unnatural absence of follow-up propaganda for the Liner trains, which seems to betoken a disinclination to embark on the heavy expenditure involved until a long-term patronage of the projected services has been assured.”