Both Uses of
portentous
in
Catch-22
- Captain Flume had obtained this idea from Chief White Halfoat himself, who did tiptoe up to his cot one night as he was dozing off, to hiss portentously that one night when he, Captain Flume, was sound asleep he, Chief White Halfoat, was going to slit his throat open for him from ear to ear.†
Chpt 6
- The chaplain's first mention of the name Yossarian! had tolled deep in his memory like a portentous gong.†
Chpt 21 *
Definition:
-
(portentous) very important; or indicating something important in the future
or:
acting overly important or serious