caution
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cau·tion
(kô′shən)n.
1.
a. Careful forethought to avoid danger or harm.
b. Close attention or vigilance to minimize risk: The car proceeded over the rickety bridge with caution.
2. Prudence or restraint in action or decision: advised caution in choosing a school.
3. A warning or admonishment, especially to take heed: I received a caution from the doctor about fat in my diet.
4. A cautious action; a precaution: The climbers took the necessary cautions in preparing for the ascent.
5. Informal One that is striking or alarming.
v. cau·tioned, cau·tion·ing, cau·tions
v.tr.
To warn or admonish: cautioned him not to go swimming alone; cautioned that the findings were not conclusive.
v.intr.
To give a warning or admonishment: cautioned against overeating.
[Middle English caucioun, from Old French caution, from Latin cautiō, cautiōn-, from cautus, past participle of cavēre, to take care.]
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
caution
(ˈkɔːʃən)n
1. care, forethought, or prudence, esp in the face of danger; wariness
2. something intended or serving as a warning; admonition
3. (Law) law chiefly Brit a formal warning given to a person suspected or accused of an offence that his or her words will be taken down and may be used in evidence
4. (Law) 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.
vb
6. (tr) to urge or warn (a person) to be careful
7. (Law) (tr) law chiefly Brit to give a caution to (a person)
8. (intr) to warn, urge, or advise: he cautioned against optimism.
[C13: from Old French, from Latin cautiō, from cavēre to beware]
ˈcautioner n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014
cau•tion
(ˈkɔ ʃən)n.
1. alertness and prudence in a hazardous situation; care: Proceed with caution.
2. a warning against danger or evil; anything serving as a warning.
3. a person or thing that astonishes or causes mild apprehension: often used humorously.
v.t. 4. to advise or urge to take heed.
v.i. 5. to give a warning: to caution against overoptimism.
[1250–1300; < Latin cautiō taking precautions]
cau′tion•er, n.
syn: See warn.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.
Caution
See Also: BEHAVIOR
- Cagey as a feral cat —John Yount
- Careful as a cat walking on eggshells —American colloquialism, attributed to New England
- Carries it [a plant] as if it’s made of Steuben glass —Ann Beattie
- Carry … like a hot tureen —Eudora Welty
- Caution flowed over the [telephone] wire like a wave —Robert M. Coates
- Caution, like that of a wild beast that is fierce but feeble or like that of an insect whose little fragment of earth has given way, and made it pause in a palsy of distrust —George Eliot
- Cautious as a burglar walking over a tin roof in cowhide boots —Wallace Irwin
- Cautious as a good housekeeper —Honore de Balzac
- Cautious as a tightrope walker with a severe itch —Anon
This is yet another perversion of the popular “Busy as a one-armed paperhanger” comparison.
See Also: BUSYNESS
- Cautious as his gray suit —John Dancy, NBC-TV, about Robert Gates at CIA confirmation hearings, April, 1987
- Cautiously, like a man handling sixteenth-century lace —Roald Dahl
- Choosy as a stud in a harem —Mike Sommer
- Discreet … as if you’re trying to tail yourself —William Mcllvanney
- Going as if he trod upon eggs —Robert Burton
- Like a weight-watcher at the feast of San Gennaro, I just nibbled a bit —Lenoard M. Heine, Jr., commenting on his cautious stock purchases when others were investing freely, quoted Wall Street Journal column by Vartanig G. Vartan, January 19, 1987
- Peeped out carefully like a mole from its hole —Derek Walcott
- Picked up the pieces as carefully as if they were cuttings from the Koh-i-noor —Israel Zangwill
- Picking his words like a man making his way through a minefield —Donald Seaman
- Progressed like a man tracing and following a chalk line —Frank Swinnerton
- A prudent man is like a pin; his head prevents him from going too far —Anon
- Should be used with discretion, like cayenne pepper —Anon
- So wary that he sleeps like a hare, with his eyes open —Thomas Fuller
- Timid as hares —Anton Chekhov
- To take all you want is never as good as to stop when you should —Lao Tzu
- (We must) treat him like Dresden china —Nikolai V. Gogol
- Wary as a blind horse —Thomas Fuller
- Wary as a pickpocket’s confidence that the policeman on the beat will stay bought —H. L. Mencken
This is slightly changed from Mencken’s original words which identified the pickpocket as an American.
- Watched what he said as carefully as if he were in court —John Updike
Similes Dictionary, 1st Edition. © 1988 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
caution
Past participle: cautioned
Gerund: cautioning
Imperative |
---|
caution |
caution |
Collins English Verb Tables © HarperCollins Publishers 2011
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
Noun | 1. | caution - the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger; "a man of caution" attentiveness - the trait of being observant and paying attention incaution, incautiousness - the trait of forgetting or ignoring possible danger |
2. | caution - a warning against certain acts; "a caveat against unfair practices" warning - a message informing of danger; "a warning that still more bombs could explode" | |
3. | caution - judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger; "he exercised caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with care" judiciousness - good judgment | |
4. | caution - the trait of being circumspect and prudent precaution - the trait of practicing caution in advance discernment, discretion - the trait of judging wisely and objectively; "a man of discernment" | |
Verb | 1. | caution - warn strongly; put on guard warn - notify of danger, potential harm, or risk; "The director warned him that he might be fired"; "The doctor warned me about the dangers of smoking" |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
caution
noun
1. care, discretion, heed, prudence, vigilance, alertness, forethought, circumspection, watchfulness, belt and braces, carefulness, heedfulness Drivers are urged to exercise extreme caution in icy weather.
care daring, carelessness, recklessness, imprudence, rashness
care daring, carelessness, recklessness, imprudence, rashness
2. reprimand, warning, injunction, admonition The others got off with a caution but I was fined.
verb
1. warn, urge, advise, alert, tip off, forewarn, put you on your guard Banks caution young couples against opening joint bank accounts. reprimand, warn, admonish, give an injunction to The two men were cautioned but the police say they will not be charged.
Proverbs
"You should know a man seven years before you stir his fire"
"Once bitten, twice shy"
"You should know a man seven years before you stir his fire"
"Once bitten, twice shy"
Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002
caution
noun1. Careful forethought to avoid harm or risk:
2. Cautious attentiveness:
3. The exercise of good judgment or common sense in practical matters:
4. Advice to beware, as of a person or thing:
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
opatrnostvarovánívarovatvýstraha
forsigtighedadvareadvarsel
varovaisuushuolellisuushuomioneuvoneuvoa
oprez
figyelmeztetfigyelmeztetésóvóvadékóvás
áminnaáminninggætni, varfærni
注意
조심
įspėjantisįspėjimaspamokomas
brīdinājumsbrīdināt
pozorprevidnost
försiktighet
การตักเตือน
sự thận trọng
caution
[ˈkɔːʃən]A. N
1. (= care) → cautela f, prudencia f
"caution!" (Aut) → ¡cuidado!, ¡precaución!
proceed with caution → actúe con precaución
to throw caution to the winds → abandonar la prudencia
"caution!" (Aut) → ¡cuidado!, ¡precaución!
proceed with caution → actúe con precaución
to throw caution to the winds → abandonar la prudencia
2. (= warning) → advertencia f, aviso m (Brit) (Police) → amonestación f
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005
caution
[ˈkɔːʃən] n
(= warning) (from the police, the authorities) → avertissement m
vt
(= warn) → avertir, donner un avertissement à
[police] mettre en garde un suspect, au moment de son arrestation, que tout ce qu'il dira pourra être retenu contre lui
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005
caution
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007
caution
[ˈkɔːʃ/ən]1. n (care) → attenzione f, prudenza; (warning) → avvertimento, ammonizione f; (from police) → diffida
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995
caution
(ˈkoːʃən) noun1. carefulness (because of possible danger etc). Exercise caution when crossing this road.
2. in law, a warning. The policeman gave him a caution for speeding.
verb to give a warning to. He was cautioned for drunken driving.
ˈcautionary adjectiveˈcautious adjective
having or showing caution; careful. She used to trust everyone but she's more cautious now; a cautious driver.
ˈcautiously adverbKernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
caution
→ حَذَر opatrnost forsigtighed Vorsicht σύνεση cautela varovaisuus prudence oprez cautela 注意 조심 voorzichtigheid varsomhet ostrożność cautela осторожность försiktighet การตักเตือน önlem sự thận trọng 小心Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009
caution
n. advertencia, precaución, cautela.
English-Spanish Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012