Definitions for caution
ˈkɔ ʃəncau·tion

Princeton's WordNetRate this definition:4.0 / 4 votes

1. caution, cautiousness, carefulnessnoun

   the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger

   "a man of caution"

2. caution, caveatnoun

   a warning against certain acts

   "a caveat against unfair practices"

3. caution, precaution, care, forethoughtnoun

   judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger

   "he exercised caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with care"

4. circumspection, cautionverb

   the trait of being circumspect and prudent

5. caution, admonish, monishverb

   warn strongly; put on guard

WiktionaryRate this definition:4.0 / 2 votes

1. cautionnoun

   Precept or warning against evil or danger of any kind; exhortation to wariness; advice; injunction.

2. cautionnoun

   A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness.

3. cautionnoun

   Security; guaranty; bail.

4. cautionnoun

   One that gives rise to attention or astonishment

   Oh, that boy, he's a caution! He does make me laugh.

5. cautionverb

   To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted.

6. Etymology: Recorded since 1297, "bail, guarantee, pledge", from "security, surety" itself from cautio, from cautus, the past participle of cavere "to be on one's guard"

Samuel Johnson's DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. CAUTIONnoun

   Etymology: caution, Fr. cautio, Lat.

   1. Prudence, as it respects danger; foresight; provident care; wariness.2. Security for.

   Such conditions, and cautions of the condition, as might assure the people with as much assurance as worldly matters bear. Philip Sidney.

   The Cedar, upon this new acquest, gave him part of Bacharia for caution for his disbursements. James Howell, Vocal Forest.

   The parliament would yet give his majesty sufficient caution that the war should be prosecuted. Edward Hyde.

   He that objects any crime, ought to give caution by the means of sureties, that he will persevere in the prosecution of such crimes. John Ayliffe, Parergon.

   3. Provision or security against; direction.

   In despite of all the rules and cautions of government, the most dangerous and mortal of vices will come off. Roger L'Estrange.

   4. Provisionary precept.

   Attention to the forementioned symptoms affords the best cautions and rules of diet, by way of prevention. Arbuthnot.

   5. Warning.

2. To Cautionverb

   To warn: to give notice of a danger.

   Etymology: from the noun.

   How shall our thought avoid the various snare?
   Or wisdom to our caution’d soul declare
   The diff’rent shapes thou pleasest to employ,
   When bent to hurt, and certain to destroy? Matthew Prior.

   You caution’d me against their charms,
   But never gave me equal arms;
   Your lessons found the weakest part,
   Aim’d at the head, but reach’d the heart. Jonathan Swift.

ChatGPTRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. caution

   Caution is the care and attentiveness taken to avoid potential harm, danger, or damaging situations. It involves being alert and prepared in order to mitigate risks. It is a proactive behavior that includes anticipating possible issues and acting carefully to prevent undesirable outcomes.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:5.0 / 1 vote

1. Cautionnoun

   a careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness

2. Cautionnoun

   security; guaranty; bail

3. Cautionnoun

   precept or warning against evil of any kind; exhortation to wariness; advice; injunction

4. Cautionverb

   to give notice of danger to; to warn; to exhort [one] to take heed

FreebaseRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Caution

   Caution is an album by the band Hot Water Music and released by Epitaph Records on October 8, 2002.

Chambers 20th Century DictionaryRate this definition:1.0 / 1 vote

1. Caution

   kaw′shun, n. heedfulness: security: warning: a surety: (Scot.) bail.—v.t. to warn to take care.—adj. Cau′tionary, containing caution: given as a pledge.—ns. Cau′tioner, one who cautions or advises: (Scots law) a surety; Cau′tionry, the act of giving security for another.—adj. Cau′tious, possessing or using caution: watchful: prudent.—adv. Cau′tiously.—n. Cau′tiousness.—Caution money, money paid in advance as security for good behaviour. [Fr.,—L. caution-em—cavēre, to beware.]

Military Dictionary and GazetteerRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. caution

   An explanation given previous to the word of command, by which soldiers are called to attention, that they may execute any given movement with unanimity and correctness.

Suggested ResourcesRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. caution

   Song lyrics by caution -- Explore a large variety of song lyrics performed by caution on the Lyrics.com website.

Matched Categories

1. • Attentiveness
   • Warn

British National Corpus

1. Nouns Frequency

   Rank popularity for the word 'caution' in Nouns Frequency: #2512

Anagrams for caution »

1. auction

How to pronounce caution?

1. Alex

   US English

   David

   US English

   Mark

   US English

   Daniel

   British

   Libby

   British

   Mia

   British

   Karen

   Australian

   Hayley

   Australian

   Natasha

   Australian

   Veena

   Indian

   Priya

   Indian

   Neerja

   Indian

   Zira

   US English

   Oliver

   British

   Wendy

   British

   Fred

   US English

   Tessa

   South African

How to say caution in sign language?

Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of caution in Chaldean Numerology is: 9

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of caution in Pythagorean Numerology is: 2

Examples of caution in a Sentence

1. Charles Caleb Colton:

   Deliberate with caution, but act with decision and yield with graciousness, or oppose with firmness.

2. Stephen Worrell:

   This is by no means a panic or trend-inducing kind of caution, but there is some uncertainty about whether the yuan devaluation is part of a controlled stimulus plan or a sign that Beijing is blinking in the face of greater weakness to come, and uncertainty always warrants caution.

3. Bertrand Russell:

   Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.

4. Thomas Dawson:

   For U.S. insurers in general, I suspect there is some caution with respect to SOGAZ, which is so far as I am aware not itself a sanctioned entity.

5. Matt Kenseth:

   There's a debris caution and you can't find debris anywhere, of course, the leader always thinks that, I guess. But I didn't see any (debris) that caution or the next one, so that's always disappointing.

Popularity rank by frequency of use