warn

[wawrn]
verb (used with object)
1.
to give notice, advice, or intimation to (a person, group, etc.) of danger, impending evil, possible harm, or anything else unfavorable: They warned him of a plot against him. She was warned that her life was in danger.
2.
to urge or advise to be careful; caution: to warn a careless driver.
3.
to admonish or exhort, as to action or conduct: She warned her employees to be on time.
4.
to notify, advise, or inform: to warn a person of an intended visit.
5.
to give notice to (a person, group, etc.) to go, keep at a distance, etc. (often followed by away, off, etc.): A sign warns trespassers off the grounds. A marker warned boats away from the dock.
6.
to give authoritative or formal notice to (someone); order; summon: to warn a person to appear in court.
verb (used without object)
7.
to give a warning; caution: to warn of further disasters.
00:10
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to bark; yelp.
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Origin:
before 1000; Middle English warnen, Old English warnian; cognate with German warnen. Cf. ware2

Related forms
warn·er, noun
pre·warn, verb (used with object)
re·warn, verb (used with object)
un·warned, adjective
well-warned, adjective

Synonyms
1. forewarn. Warn, caution, admonish imply attempting to prevent another from running into danger or getting into unpleasant or undesirable circumstances. To warn is to speak plainly and usually in strong terms: to warn him about danger and possible penalties. To caution is to advise about necessary precautions, to put one on one's guard about possibly harmful circumstances or conditions, thus emphasizing avoidance of undesirable consequences: to caution him against driving in such weather. Admonish suggests giving earnest, authoritative advice with only tacit references to danger or penalty: to admonish a person for neglecting his duties.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Collins
World English Dictionary
warn (wɔːn) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—vb
1.  to notify or make (someone) aware of danger, harm, etc
2.  (tr; often takes a negative and an infinitive) to advise or admonish (someone) as to action, conduct, etc: I warn you not to do that again
3.  (takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to inform (someone) in advance: he warned them that he would arrive late
4.  (tr; usually foll by away, off, etc) to give notice to go away, be off, etc: he warned the trespassers off his ground
 
[Old English wearnian; related to Old High German warnēn, Old Norse varna to refuse]
 
'warner
 
—n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History

warn
O.E. warnian "to give notice of impending danger," also intrans., "to take heed," from W.Gmc. *warnojanan (cf. O.N. varna "to admonish," O.H.G. warnon "to take heed," Ger. warnen "to warn"); related to O.E. wær "aware, cautious" (see wary).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Example sentences
They'll warn drivers about wrecks on the road ahead and scout alternative
  routes.
Such signals could warn other elephants of predators, help a lonely elephant
  find a mate, or direct them towards food and water.
They mark the area with urine, roar menacingly to warn intruders, and chase off
  animals that encroach on their turf.
But efforts to warn people off drugs are still too timid.
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