caution

[ kaw-shuhn ]

noun

1. alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation; care; wariness:

   Landslides ahead—proceed with caution.

   Synonyms: watchfulness, vigilance, heed, discretion, circumspection

   Antonyms: carelessness

2. a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning:

   By way of caution, he told me the difficulties I would face.

   Synonyms: counsel, advice, admonition

3. 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)

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

   Synonyms: forewarn, admonish

verb (used without object)

1. to warn or advise:

   The newspapers caution against overoptimism.

caution

/ ˈkɔːʃən /

noun

1. care, forethought, or prudence, esp in the face of danger; wariness
2. something intended or serving as a warning; admonition
3. law 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
4. 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
5. informal.
   an amusing or surprising person or thing

   she's a real caution

verb

1. tr to urge or warn (a person) to be careful
2. tr law to give a caution to (a person)
3. intr to warn, urge, or advise

   he cautioned against optimism

Derived Forms

• ˈcautioner, noun

Other Words From

• 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-cautioned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of caution¹

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English caucion, from Latin cautiōn-, stem of cautiō “a taking care,” from caut(us) “taken care” (past participle of cavēre “to take care”) + -iō -ion; caveat

Word History and Origins

Origin of caution¹

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

Idioms and Phrases

see throw caution to the winds .

Synonym Study

See warn.

Example Sentences

Some said they sold their homes and relocated out of an abundance of caution.

From Los Angeles Times

He has since been interviewed by police on two further occasions while under caution.

From BBC

She worked, for instance, with David Lynch on “Twin Peaks,” and Ang Lee on “Lust, Caution.”

From Los Angeles Times

In Milwaukee, the biggest city in the swing state of Wisconsin, elections officials made a decision to re-run around 30,000 ballots out of an “abundance of caution”, after doors on the back of voting machines were left open.

From BBC

Others, however, caution that practical obstacles may still exist.

From BBC

Related Words

• admonish
• alert
• exhort
• forewarn
• urge