What does augured mean?
"Augured" is the past tense of the verb "augur," meaning to be a sign or omen of something yet to come. When we say that dark clouds on the horizon "augured a storm," we mean they foretold it. In modern English the word appears almost exclusively in formal or literary contexts, and it typically pairs with "well" or "ill" — events that "augured well" promised success, while those that "augured ill" signaled trouble ahead. The word carries an air of gravity and foresight, making it a favorite of historians, commentators, and novelists who want to convey that the future seemed legible in present signs. Its origins lie in ancient Rome, where augurs were religious officials who interpreted omens — particularly the flight and behavior of birds — to guide public decisions. That heritage survives in related words such as "augury," "auspicious," and "inaugurate," all rooted in the same tradition of divination. Knowing "augured" enriches both reading and writing: it captures precisely that sense of a present sign pointing toward a future outcome.
verbPast tense and past participle of "augur": to be a sign or omen that something will happen in the future, especially something good or bad.
- To serve as an omen or sign of a future event, typically used with "well" or "ill" (e.g., "the results augured well").
- (Archaic) To predict or divine the future through omens, as the Roman augurs did.
"The early frost augured a harsh winter ahead."
"The calm sea and favorable winds augured well for the voyage."
"Economists noted that rising consumer confidence augured a strong recovery."
In ancient Rome, augurs predicted the future by watching the flight of birds — and the word "inaugurate" comes from the same practice.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of augured
"Augured" comes from the Latin verb "augurare," meaning to predict or interpret omens, itself derived from "augur," the title of a Roman priest who read signs — especially birds — to discern the gods' intentions. The term entered English in the late 16th or early 17th century, initially referring to literal divination before shifting toward its modern figurative sense of foreshadowing. It shares deep roots with "augury," "auspicious," and "inaugurate," all descendants of Rome's bird-watching priestly tradition.
Related word forms
How augured is actually used
"Augure" belongs to formal and literary register; it rarely appears in casual speech. It almost always takes "well" or "ill" as its complement when describing outcomes. The verb is nearly always used in past tense or participial forms like "augured."
Easily confused with augured
An "auger" is a tool for boring holes, while "augur" means to predict or foreshadow; they sound identical but share nothing but spelling similarity.