Menace is a verb that means to threaten or to express the intention of inflicting evil or injury. It can also be used as a noun, meaning a threat. It comes from the Latin minae, the projecting (and dangerous) points in the walls of caves.
To put it plainly, distracted driving is a menace to society. (The Economist)
Rustlers are now a growing menace in some parts of rural America, striking in the dead of night and sometimes selling their haul before the rancher or farmer discovers the animals are gone. (USA Today)
