THRESH-ohldz
/ˈθɹɛˌʃoʊldz/
thresholds is pronounced THRESH-ohldz (/ˈθɹɛˌʃoʊldz/). Thresholds refers to the levels or points at which something begins to happen or a doorway thresholds, typically plural in form. It denotes entry points or boundaries that need to be crossed to trigger a change or effect, often marking the minimum level required for a certain outcome. The term can be used in physical, psychological, or figurative contexts.
Thresholds refers to the levels or points at which something begins to happen or a doorway thresholds, typically plural in form. It denotes entry points or boundaries that need to be crossed to trigger a change or effect, often marking the minimum level required for a certain outcome. The term can be used in physical, psychological, or figurative contexts.
"We crossed several thresholds before the project finally succeeded."
"The thermostat is set just below the critical threshold for safety."
"In risk assessments, thresholds determine when intervention is triggered."
Pronounce as /ˈθrɛʃˌhoʊldz/ in US and UK English. Start with the voiceless dental fricative /θ/, then /r/ with a tapped or approximant quality, followed by /ɛ/ low-mid front vowel. The cluster /ʃ/ (as in 'sh') comes after /r/, then the /h/ onset in /hoʊldz/. The final /dz/ is a voiced alveolar affricate. Put primary stress on the first syllable: THRESH- and secondary stress on HOOL/HOULD in rapid speech. Mouth: tip of tongue near the teeth for /θ/, blade raised for /r/, mid-front tongue for /ɛ/; lips neutral for /oʊ/ and final slight raising for /ldz/.”,
Common errors include mispronouncing the initial /θ/ as /t/ or /s/, dropping the /r/ after /θ/ in non-rhotic accents, and simplifying the final /ldz/ cluster to /ld/ or /dz/. To correct: practice the dental fricative /θ/ with tongue tip touching the upper teeth, ensure the /r/ is pronounced even in rhotic dialects, and practice the final cluster as /ldz/ by easing into a light /d/ before a voiced /z/—think ‘hold-s’ with an audible z. Segment training helps: θ- r ɛ ʃ - hoʊ ld z.”,
In US/UK, /ˈθrɛʃˌhoʊldz/ is similar, but rhotics in US may preserve the /r/ more prominently (rhotic /ɹ/), while some UK varieties may have a lighter /r/ or non-rhotic tendencies in fast speech. The /hoʊldz/ may be realized closer to /həʊldz/ in some UK accents due to vowel quality and /oʊ/ vs /əʊ/. Australian English tends to have a more centralized vowel in the /oʊ/ sequence and a slightly softer /t͡ʃ/ to /ʃ/ transition. Overall, the main variation is rhoticity and vowel length, with the initial /θ/ generally consistent across accents.”,
The difficulty lies in the consonant cluster /θr/ followed by /ʃ/ and the final /ldz/. The dental fricative /θ/ is rare in many languages, so learners often substitute /t/ or /s/. The /ʃ/ after /r/ requires precise tongue positioning, and the /ldz/ cluster at the end demands a quick, voiceless-to-voiced transition. Mastery requires controlled airflow, accurate tongue placement between teeth for /θ/ and the alveolar /d/ before /z/.”,
Thresholds combines a rare initial /θ/ with a dorsal /ʃ/ blend following /r/, plus a final voiced alveolar affricate /dz/. This combination is uncommon in many learners’ L1s, creating a three-stage articulation: dental fricative, retroflex-like /r/ transition, and a difficult final /ldz/ cluster. You’ll benefit from isolating each segment, then blending them in order, matching breath and tongue movements, and practicing with minimal pairs and context sentences for integration.
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Thresholds originates from the concept of a threshold, the plank or planklike strip at the bottom of a doorway that people step over to enter a room. The word thresh is historically tied to threshing grain, but the doorway sense comes from Old English therscold or thersceald, meaning ‘the plank of a doorway’ (thol?), with -hold or -scold evolving into English as threshold. Over time, the plural form thresholds emerged to indicate multiple entry points or levels, and the meaning broadened to denote any minimum level necessary to trigger an event. In Middle English texts, threshold was used literally for the doorstep; by Early Modern English, it had acquired figurative uses for thresholds of achievement, danger, or tolerance. The concept of a threshold as a boundary or limit is common across many languages, and the word’s evolution reflects shifting emphasis from a physical plank to an abstract boundary. First known uses surface in the 12th-14th centuries in English literature, with the modern plural form thr**es**holds. (Note: This summary reflects common etymological patterns and semantic evolution; actual earliest citations vary by corpus.)
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Words that rhyme with "thresholds"
-lds sounds
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