warn
[wawrn]
- 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.
- to urge or advise to be careful; caution: to warn a careless driver.
- to admonish or exhort, as to action or conduct: She warned her employees to be on time.
- to notify, advise, or inform: to warn a person of an intended visit.
- 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.
- to give authoritative or formal notice to (someone); order; summon: to warn a person to appear in court.
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- to give a warning; caution: to warn of further disasters.
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Origin of warn
Synonyms
See more synonyms for warn on Thesaurus.com1. forewarn.
Synonym study
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 Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for warn
Contemporary Examples
In the United States, people used to warn against taking wooden nickels.
I speak here to warn people that the facts presented in the opera are incomplete and distorted.
You said that shutting down a newspaper is not the right way to warn those who may have infringed on the law.
I mean he did choose to warn him instead of have him killed.
‘The Good Wife’ Star Mike Colter Defends Lemond Bishop’s Killer InstinctsKevin Fallon
September 29, 2014
Nor did he warn the hospital that the book is being published this week.
Historical Examples
But there was nothing to warn me; he never spoke of love; I never thought of it.
The Bacillus of BeautyHarriet Stark
What is to be said about neglecting to warn or assist others?
An Explanation of Luther's Small CatechismJoseph Stump
And Molly Abrahamson used to warn him to keep out of her father's way.
Howard Pyle's Book of PiratesHoward Pyle
Yet, I warn you, appearances are deceitful; he is always drunker than he looks.
In the ValleyHarold Frederic
"And we thank you much for coming to warn us," murmured Margaret.
Fair MargaretH. Rider Haggard
warn
- to notify or make (someone) aware of danger, harm, etc
- (tr; often takes a negative and an infinitive) to advise or admonish (someone) as to action, conduct, etcI warn you not to do that again
- (takes a clause as object or an infinitive) to inform (someone) in advancehe warned them that he would arrive late
- (tr; usually foll by away, off, etc) to give notice to go away, be off, etche warned the trespassers off his ground
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Word Origin
Old English wearnian; related to Old High German warnēn, Old Norse varna to refuse
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for warn
v.
Old English warnian "to give notice of impending danger," also intransitive, "to take heed," from West Germanic *warnojanan (cf. Old Norse varna "to admonish," Old High German warnon "to take heed," German warnen "to warn"); related to Old English wær "aware, cautious" (see wary). Related: Warned; warning.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper