caution
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caution
- /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/ UK
- /ˈkoːʃ(ə)n/ Australia, British, New Zealand
- /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/ US
- /ˈkɑʃ(ə)n/ US, cot caught merger
- /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/ Scotland
Rhymes with -ɔːʃən
Where it comes from
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”).
noun cautions
- Prudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm. take 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.
- One who draws attention or causes astonishment by their behaviour. Oh, that boy, he's a caution! He does make me laugh.
- A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
- A yellow card.
Similar: caution, cautiousness, caginess, care, carefulness, circumspection, heed, heedfulness, prudence, reckfulness, wariness · Opposite: incaution
verb cautions · cautioning · cautioned
- To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted. "Careful, Uwe," cautions my Venezuelan explorer friend, José Miguel Pérez, with a grim smile. "You're too big for us to carry back down."
- To read someone their formal legal rights as part of a lawful arrest. They're under arrest. Caution them, will you?
- To give a yellow card.
Thesaurus
Closest in meaning: precaution, cautiousness, circumspection, carefulness, caveat, forethought, admonish, care, careful, beware, precautionary, wariness, cautious, cautiously, vigilant, warning
noun
Similar: caution, cautiousness, caginess, care, carefulness, circumspection, heed, heedfulness, prudence, reckfulness, wariness · Opposite: incaution
Translations
Every language
noun precept or warning against evil or danger
| हिन्दी | चेतावनी cetāvnī |
|---|---|
| Português | advertência |
| Deutsch | Warnung, Vorsicht |
| Italiano | cautela |
| Ελληνικά | προσοχή prosochí, προφύλαξη profýlaxi, προσεκτικότητα prosektikótita |
| Română | grijă, precauție |
| Русский | предостереже́ние predosterežénije, предупрежде́ние predupreždénije |
| العربية | حَذَر ḥaḏar, حِيطَة ḥīṭa, اِحْتِيَاط iḥtiyāṭ |
noun careful attention, prudence
| Español | cuidado, cautela, caución |
|---|---|
| 한국어 | 조심 josim, 주의 juui |
| 日本語 | 注意 chūi |
| 中文 | 謹慎 /谨慎 jǐnshèn |
| हिन्दी | सावधानी sāvdhānī, चेतावनी cetāvnī, सतर्कता satarkatā, सजगता sajagtā |
| Português | cuidado, caução, cautela |
| Deutsch | Vorsicht, Achtsamkeit, Behutsamkeit |
| Italiano | cautela, prudenza |
| Ελληνικά | περίσκεψη perískepsi, προσοχή prosochí |
| Русский | осторо́жность ostoróžnostʹ |
| العربية | حَذَر ḥaḏar |
Talk about this word "caution." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/caution. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026. caution. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/caution "caution." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/caution.Cite this
@misc{caution_2026,
title = {caution},
howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
year = {2026},
url = {https://micwyn.com/word/caution},
urldate = {2026-11-06}
}
