Superstitions And Omens

noun a type of bird known for its black and white plumage and its habit of collecting shiny objects

• The magpie is known for its striking black and white plumage.
• I saw a magpie swooping down to grab some food in the park.
• That magpie is always causing trouble in the neighborhood.
• She has a magpie-like tendency to collect shiny objects and hoard them in her room.

noun a sign or warning that something momentous or calamitous is likely to happen

• The dark clouds gathering in the sky were seen as a portent of an impending storm.
• Seeing a black cat cross your path is often considered a portent of bad luck.
• The sudden chill in the air was a real portent that something was about to go down.
• The sudden drop in stock prices was a portent of the economic downturn ahead.

noun a Latin phrase meaning 'may the omen be absent' or 'let the omen be absent'

• May absit omen never come to pass in our endeavors.
• Let's hope absit omen doesn't ruin our plans.
• I don't want any absit omen messing things up for us.
• Absit omen is like the dark cloud looming over our success.