caution

Pronunciation

• (UK) enPR: kôshn, IPA ^(key): /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/
• (US) enPR: käshn or kôshn, IPA ^(key): /ˈkɑːʃ(ə)n/ or /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

Noun

Singular caution

Plural cautions

1. Caution is being careful and planning ways to avoid danger or being hurt.

   He used caution as he climbed the old wooden steps.

2. A caution is a warning about what might happen in the future.

   The doctor gave me a caution about eating too much.

3. (law) A caution can be a legal warning and that a repeat of the action could end up as an arrest.

   The police gave the boy a caution after he was caught stealing from the shop.

Verb

Plain form caution

Third-person singular cautions

Past tense cautioned

Past participle cautioned

Present participle cautioning

1. To caution is to give a warning or advice.

   His mother cautioned him about staying out too late at night.

Related words

• precaution
• cautious