caution en · NOUN
Pronunciation
- /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/ (Scotland)
- käshn (cot-caught-merger)
- /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- (US) audio cot-caught
- /ˈkɑʃ(ə)n/ (cot-caught-merger)
- /ˈkoːʃ(ə)n/ (Australia, British, New-Zealand, Southern, Standard)
- /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/ without the cot–caught merger
- kôshn without the cot–caught merger
Etymology
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”).
Meanings
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(countable, uncountable) Prudence when faced with, or when expecting to face, danger; care taken in order to avoid risk or harm.
exercise great caution
take caution
[...] and on the Saturday heavy seas pounded the W.R. on its exposed coastal stretch between Dawlish and Teignmouth, loosening the ballast and forcing trains to proceed with extreme caution.
1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The railways and the Devon floods”, in Trains Illustrated, page 709:have caution
sound a note of caution
proceed without due caution
act with caution
utmost caution is required when travelling in this dangerous neighbourhood
In way of caution I must tell you.
c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:
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(countable, uncountable) 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.
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(countable, uncountable) 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 Rebellion and Civil Wars in England, Begun in the Year 1641. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: Printed at the [Sheldonian] Theater:
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(countable, dated, uncountable) 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:
- (countable, uncountable) A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
- (countable, uncountable) A yellow card.
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| cautions | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Antonyms
Deriveds
cautionary · abundance of caution · caution fatigue · hypercaution · prostitute's caution · precaution · throw caution to the wind · interview under caution · incaution · caution money · cast caution to the wind · cautious · competition caution · caution to snakes · err on the side of caution · toss caution to the wind
Hyponyms
Relateds
caveat · heads up · timidity · timidly · timid · cautiously · cautious
Synonyms
prudence · wariness · heed · heedfulness · caution · caginess · care · cautiousness · reckfulness · circumspection · carefulness
Translations (122)
fi varovaisuus (careful attention, prudence) · cmn 謹慎 /谨慎 (careful attention, prudence) · nl terughoudendheid (careful attention, prudence) · fi neuvo (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nl borg (security; guaranty; bail) · ar حِيطَة (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ka სიფრთხილე (careful attention, prudence) · fi huomio (careful attention, prudence) · mi tūpato (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ar حَذَر (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nl voorzichtigheid (careful attention, prudence) · ang wærsċipe (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προφύλαξη (precept or warning against evil or danger) · de Vorsicht (precept or warning against evil or danger) · zza ihtiyat (careful attention, prudence) · pl roztropność (careful attention, prudence) · de Vorsicht (careful attention, prudence) · nb aktpågivenhet (careful attention, prudence) · fr caution (security; guaranty; bail) · da sikkerhed (security; guaranty; bail) · fi tarkkaavaisuus (careful attention, prudence) · pl przezorność (careful attention, prudence) · pl przestroga (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nl garantie (security; guaranty; bail) · es caución (careful attention, prudence) · sv försiktighet (careful attention, prudence) · nb advarsel (precept or warning against evil or danger) · bg внимание (precept or warning against evil or danger) · pt cuidado (careful attention, prudence) · ar حَذَر (careful attention, prudence) · hu figyelmeztetés (precept or warning against evil or danger) · mi whakatūpato (careful attention, prudence) · es caución (security; guaranty; bail) · da kaution (security; guaranty; bail) · nl waarborg (security; guaranty; bail) · lus vaukhanna (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προσοχή (careful attention, prudence) · hu óvadék (security; guaranty; bail) · ko 주의 (careful attention, prudence) · hu óvás (precept or warning against evil or danger) · pt advertência (precept or warning against evil or danger) · pl ostrożność (careful attention, prudence) · es cuidado (careful attention, prudence) · fi ohjenuora (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προφύλαξη (security; guaranty; bail) · pt garantia (security; guaranty; bail) · vo prüd (careful attention, prudence) · nl voorzorg (careful attention, prudence) · la cautēla (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προσοχή (security; guaranty; bail) · lus zakhamna (security; guaranty; bail) · ka წინდახედულობა (careful attention, prudence) · lus fimkhurna (careful attention, prudence) · ca cautela (careful attention, prudence) · ru поручи́тельство (security; guaranty; bail) · fi varoitus (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ca caució (security; guaranty; bail) · pl uwaga (careful attention, prudence) · ka გაფრთხილება (careful attention, prudence) · es fianza (security; guaranty; bail) · it cautela (careful attention, prudence) · ro precauție (precept or warning against evil or danger) · hu óvatosság (careful attention, prudence) · fi huolellisuus (careful attention, prudence) · hi सजगता (careful attention, prudence) · bn সতর্কীকরণ (careful attention, prudence) · az ehtiyat (careful attention, prudence) · ka გაფრთხილება (precept or warning against evil or danger) · hi चेतावनी (careful attention, prudence) · hi चेतावनी (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ca advertència (precept or warning against evil or danger) · uk попере́дження (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nv sínízid (precept or warning against evil or danger) · pt cautela (careful attention, prudence) · oc avertiment (precept or warning against evil or danger) · la cautela (careful attention, prudence) · ru осторо́жность (careful attention, prudence) · de Achtsamkeit (careful attention, prudence) · pl ostrzeżenie (precept or warning against evil or danger) · th คำเตือน (precept or warning against evil or danger) · de Behutsamkeit (careful attention, prudence) · nl omzichtigheid (careful attention, prudence) · de Kaution (security; guaranty; bail) · la cautiō (careful attention, prudence) · ro grijă (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nb forsiktighet (careful attention, prudence) · pt caução (careful attention, prudence) · da varsomhed (careful attention, prudence) · da garanti (security; guaranty; bail) · nb varsomhet (careful attention, prudence) · de Warnung (precept or warning against evil or danger) · da forsigtighed (careful attention, prudence) · oc cautèla (careful attention, prudence) · nl borgsom (security; guaranty; bail) · tl paingat (precept or warning against evil or danger) · rgn cautēla (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ko 조심 (careful attention, prudence) · uk пересторо́га (precept or warning against evil or danger) · it prudenza (careful attention, prudence) · th ข้อควรระวัง (careful attention, prudence) · tl paingat (careful attention, prudence) · it cautela (precept or warning against evil or danger) · hi सावधानी (careful attention, prudence) · el περίσκεψη (careful attention, prudence) · ru предупрежде́ние (precept or warning against evil or danger) · zza emel (security; guaranty; bail) · ar اِحْتِيَاط (precept or warning against evil or danger) · es cautela (careful attention, prudence) · bg предпазливост (careful attention, prudence) · hi सतर्कता (careful attention, prudence) · mi o(w))hiti (precept or warning against evil or danger) · da advarsel (precept or warning against evil or danger) · ru предостереже́ние (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προσοχή (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nl waarschuwing (precept or warning against evil or danger) · bg благоразумие (careful attention, prudence) · ja 注意 (careful attention, prudence) · rgn cautēla (careful attention, prudence) · ca compte (careful attention, prudence) · sh опрез (precept or warning against evil or danger) · el προσεκτικότητα (precept or warning against evil or danger) · nb kausjon (security; guaranty; bail)