caution
Prudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm.
Noun
- Prudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm.
- take caution
- have caution
- exercise great caution
- A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided.
- The guideline expressed caution against excessive radiographic imaging.
- Security; guaranty; bail.
- The Parliament would yet give his majesty sufficient caution that the war should be vigorously prosecuted. - 1702–1704, Edward [Hyde, 1st] Earl of Clarendon, (please specify |book=I to XVI), in The History of the...
- One who draws attention or causes astonishment by their behaviour.
- Oh, that boy, he's a caution! He does make me laugh.
- ‘You are a caution,’ she said, when she came out. ‘I don't understand you.’ - 1915, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 58, in Of Human Bondage:
- A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
- A yellow card.
Origin
Recorded since 1297 as Middle English caucioun (“bail, guarantee, pledge”), from Old French caution (“security, surety”), itself from Latin cautiō, from cautus, past participle of caveō, cavēre (“be on one's guard”).
Forms
Synonyms
caution cautiousness caginess care carefulness circumspection heed heedfulness prudence reckfulness wariness
Antonyms
Hyponyms
Related
Derived
abundance of caution cast caution to the wind cautionary caution fatigue caution money caution to snakes cautious competition caution err on the side of caution hypercaution incaution interview under caution precaution prostitute's caution throw caution to the wind toss caution to the wind
Verb
- To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted.
- In its May 1965 issue, Life magazine condemned skateboards as a “menace to limb and even to life,” and cautioned readers about riders who “take over the paths made for peaceful strollers.” - 2018 July 13, Jaime Marie...
- To give a yellow card.