caution

[kaw-shuhn]

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR caution ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

verb (used with object)

to give warning to; advise or urge to take heed.

verb (used without object)

to warn or advise: The newspapers caution against overoptimism.

Origin of caution

1250–1300; Middle English caucion < Latin cautiōn- (stem of cautiō) a taking care, equivalent to caut(us), past participle of cavēre to guard against (cau- take care, guard + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Related formscau·tion·er, nouno·ver·cau·tion, noun, verb (used with object)re·cau·tion, verb (used with object)su·per·cau·tion, nounun·cau·tioned, adjectivewell-cau·tioned, adjective

Synonyms for caution

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR caution ON THESAURUS.COM

1. circumspection, discretion, watchfulness, heed, vigilance. 2. admonition, advice, counsel. 4. admonish, forewarn.

Synonym study

4. See warn.

Antonyms for caution

1. carelessness.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Related Words for cautioned

urge, forewarn, exhort, admonish, alert, flag, tip

Examples from the Web for cautioned

Contemporary Examples of cautioned

Camarillo also cautioned families about other clues that may be worth further examination before allowing someone into your home.
When Mrs. Doubtfire Won’t Leave
Keli Goff
June 28, 2014
Well, maybe it was a gamma-ray burst, or maybe it was something else, cautioned some others.
The Gamma-Ray Burst That Wasn’t
Matthew R. Francis
June 1, 2014
But he cautioned that last-minute snags could still derail an agreement.
Turkey Turns Back Toward Israel
Thomas Seibert
May 13, 2014
But Dr. Rebecca Brightman, an ob-gyn in private practice, cautioned that such fears are overblown.
The Next Big Environmental Fight: Tampons?
Keli Goff
May 2, 2014
Although Burwell was confirmed to head OMB by a vote of 96-0, Daschle cautioned that he thought she wouldn't have an "easy ride."
Kathleen Sebelius Resigning From HHS
Ben Jacobs
April 11, 2014

Historical Examples of cautioned

"And you're getting it so high it's top-heavy," cautioned Mrs. Drelmer.
The Spenders
Harry Leon Wilson
Visitors should be cautioned against approaching this picture.
Punchinello, Vol. 1, No. 7, May 14, 1870
Various
Tom cautioned him again and again to be careful, and not take too great risks.
The Dare Boys of 1776
Stephen Angus Cox
"Don't be too sure," cautioned Mr. Swift, but Tom only smiled.
Tom Swift and his Electric Runabout
Victor Appleton
The Duke cautioned her not to think that she could deceive him.
The Memoirs of the Louis XIV. and The Regency, Complete
Elizabeth-Charlotte, Duchesse d'Orleans

British Dictionary definitions for cautioned

caution

noun

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 thingshe's a real caution

verb

(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 advisehe cautioned against optimism

Derived Formscautioner, noun

Word Origin for caution

C13: from Old French, from Latin cautiō, from cavēre to beware

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

Word Origin and History for cautioned

caution

"to warn," 1640s, from caution (n.). Related: Cautioned; cautioning.

caution

c.1300, "bail, guarantee, pledge," from Old French caution "security, surety" (13c.), from Latin cautionem (nominative cautio) "caution, care, foresight, precaution," noun of action from past participle stem of cavere "to be on one's guard" (see caveat). The Latin sense re-emerged in English 16c.-17c. Meaning "word of warning" is from c.1600.

Idioms and Phrases with cautioned

caution

see throw caution to the winds.