caution
alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation; care; wariness: Landslides ahead—proceed with caution.
a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning: By way of caution, he told me the difficulties I would face.
Informal. a person or thing that astonishes or causes mild apprehension: She's a caution. The way he challenges your remarks is a caution.
to give warning to; advise or urge to take heed.
to warn or advise: The newspapers caution against overoptimism.
Origin of caution
1synonym study For caution
Other words for caution
Opposites for caution
Other words from caution
- cau·tion·er, noun
- o·ver·cau·tion, noun, verb (used with object)
- re·cau·tion, verb (used with object)
- su·per·cau·tion, noun
- un·cau·tioned, adjective
- well-cautioned, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use caution in a sentence
Even as they released this information the French investigators were cautioning that they were still trying to understand it.
Flight 447's Terrifying Four-and-a-Half-Minute Crash | Clive Irving | May 27, 2011 | THE DAILY BEASTOne of the neighbours brought Shidiak a letter, cautioning him, if he went to the shekh's house, not to smoke or drink with him.
Fox's Book of Martyrs | John FoxeThe return journey was about half completed when Jotan stopped suddenly and raised a cautioning hand.
Warrior of the Dawn | Howard Carleton BrowneI refused a trap and set out on foot, after cautioning them against telephoning my arrival.
The Wasted Generation | Owen JohnsonIn an instant the lieutenant was galloping out to the front, cautioning the driver to come on slowly.
Warrior Gap | Charles King
After cautioning his employee to maintain strict silence, he and Ned drove away.
Tom Swift and His Giant Telescope | Victor Appleton
British Dictionary definitions for caution
/ (ˈkɔːʃən) /
care, forethought, or prudence, esp in the face of danger; wariness
something intended or serving as a warning; admonition
law, mainly British a formal warning given to a person suspected or accused of an offence that his words will be taken down and may be used in evidence
a notice entered on the register of title to land that prevents a proprietor from disposing of his or her land without a notice to the person who entered the caution
informal an amusing or surprising person or thing: she's a real caution
(tr) to urge or warn (a person) to be careful
(tr) law, mainly British to give a caution to (a person)
(intr) to warn, urge, or advise: he cautioned against optimism
Origin of caution
1Derived forms of caution
- cautioner, noun
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Other Idioms and Phrases with caution
see throw caution to the winds.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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