/caution/definition

caution

-) Verb.

-) Pronunciation and accent: kɔːʃən.

-) Third-person singular simple present: she, he, it cautions.

-) Preterite tense, preterite participle: cautioned.

-) Present participle: cautioning.

-) Etymology: denominative verb from the noun CAUTION, which is from Latin caution “caution”, from caut- participial stem of cavere “to beware, to caution oneself”.

-) Transitively: 1. (The subject and the object are animated beings) to make (someone) heed, mind, notice, consider something for him to do or forbear, in manner of caution, warning, counsel; this is, to signify a caution or warning; to make cautious; to admonish with a caution.

-) Synonyms: to warn, admonish, forewarn.

-) Antonyms: to deceive, advise, delude.

-) Translation: avertir, in French; advertir, in Spanish; avvertire, in Italian.

I recollect now how you used to caution me when a girl.

Captain Marryat… Jacob Faithful 1842

As we neared the grounds returning, he stopped me and we had a further brief confidential talk together. I was young and egotistical enough to think that I could defy all the rivals in existence, but he cautioned me, saying: "Hold on, Tom. You're young yet; you know nothing about the weaker sex, absolutely nothing.”

Andy Adams… A Texas Matchmaker 1904

-) With the preposition against + the thing (represented by a noun or a gerund) that the cautioner indicates to be avoided or shunned:

[They] cautioned me against melancholy.

Samuel Richardson… Clarissa 1748

[…] women cannot be cautioned too much against such lovers.

Henry Fielding… Amelia 1751

It is sufficient […] to caution the reader against drawing general inferences from particular instances.

Percy Shelley… A Defence of Poetry… 1821

Amongst the great herd of travellers, […] who show sufficiently by their stupidity that they never held any intercourse with opium, I must caution my readers specially against the brilliant author of Anastasius.

Thomas De Quincey… Confessions… 1823

To caution him against their visitor, to show any fear or suspicion in reference to him, would only be, she feared, to increase that interest with which Barnaby regarded him, and to strengthen his desire to meet him once again.

Dickens… Barnaby Rudge 1841

[…] he cautioned her against assumptions and appearances.

Dickens… Little Dorrit 1857

He agreed promptly, but cautioned her against economy.

Rex Beach… Flowing Gold 1922

-) With the preposition about and on before the thing (represented by a noun or a gerund) in respect of which the caution is made:

I was allowed to retain my horse, provided he did his share of the work. A mule and three range horses were also allotted to me, and I was cautioned about their care.

Andy Adams… Reed Anthony 1907

The Intendant cautioned him on his behaviour in many points, and also relative to his dress […] during his stay in the metropolis.

Marryat… The Children… 1847

Fanny cautioned me about this, and she objected, and I object.

Charles Dickens… Little Dorrit 1857

I cautioned her about showing that she knew too much.

Walter… My Secret Life 1888

-) With the preposition to before the thing (represented by a noun or an infinitive) to which the cautioner exhorts:

His old friend cautioned him to the utmost carefulness in the preparation of prescriptions, which advice he scrupulously followed.

Titan: a monthly magazine 1852

[…] families were publicly cautioned not to go out of town without removing their furniture to upholsterers' warehouses for security.

Dickens… A Tale of two Cities 1859

[He] cautioned her to be extremely careful with respect to any money transactions with Mr Harrel, whose splendid extravagance he assured her was universally known to exceed his fortune.

Frances Burney… Cecilia 1782

There had been little need to caution me to secrecy. I was not tempted to speak.

Harry Wilson… The Boss of Little Arcady 1905

-) With the prepositional construction as to, to indicate the thing in respect of which the caution is made:

Mrs. Hollister attended them to the door in person, cautioning her guests as to the safest manner of leaving her premises.

Cooper… The Pioneers 1823

He did not choose to caution Ethel as to whether she should burn the letter or divulge it to her friends.

Thackeray… The Newcomes 1854

-) With the preposition from + the thing (represented by a noun or a gerund) to which the cautioner refers as to be avoided or shunned:

[…] to caution parents from trusting to the specious representations of any schoolmaster…

Edward Howard… Rattlin the Reefer 1834

-) With the preposition for + the cause (represented by a noun or a gerund):

Twice indeed he was cautioned for neglecting even his Greek lecture; but he was also thrice commended for diligence in attending it.

John Forster… Oliver Goldsmith 1855

-) 2. (The object is a clause introduced by the conjunction that, or in manner of quotation) to interject, utter or say as a caution or warning.

I swam in the direction of the hill […]. I had remarked to my companion, before leaving the raft, that I was convinced it could not be more than three miles off, and I had often swam a much greater distance. He cautioned me that three miles appeared very little on the water; and repeated, that I should be lost if I made the attempt.

Joseph Adshead… A Circumstantial Narrative… 1833

I feel as if it were some one else speaking to you, and not I, when I caution you that you have made a dangerous friend.

Dickens… David Copperfield 1850

"Now, don't be too sure," cautioned Joel. "You can't see one hundred yards in this storm, and if you get bewildered, all country looks alike. Trust your horse in any event […]”

Andy Adams… Wells Brothers 1911

"Ssh!" cautioned Merton.

Harry Wilson… Merton of the Movies 1919

"The wolf!" he cautioned, grasping the shoulder of his companion.

Max Brand… The Night Horseman 1920

[…] authorities caution that Wardog is considered armed, and extremely dangerous.

Jack R. Dunn… Hard

-) 3. (The subject: an unanimated being) to be useful for making (someone) heed, mind, consider something to be done or forborne, in manner of warning.

While I was with the FBI, I’d had some experience doing covert work. My familiarity with it cautioned me to the possibility that he was more than he seemed to be.

Gil Howard… The Price of Innocence

-) Other English words derived from Latin cavere: precaution (noun, verb), precautioning, precautional, precautionary, precautious, precautiously, cautioned, cautioning, cautionary, cautioner, cautionless, cautious, cautiously, cautiousness, incautious, incautiously, incautiousness, incaution, over-caution.