# caution
## English
### 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”).

### Pronunciation

* (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kôshn, IPA: /ˈkɔːʃ(ə)n/
* (US) enPR: kôshn, IPA: /ˈkɔʃ(ə)n/
* (cot–caught merger) enPR: käshn, IPA: /ˈkɑʃ(ə)n/
* Audio (US):(file)
* Rhymes: -ɔːʃən

### Noun

caution (countable and uncountable, plural cautions)
* 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
    utmost caution is required when travelling in this dangerous neighbourhood
    act with caution
    proceed without due caution
** 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]:In way of caution I must tell you.
** 1960 December, “Talking of Trains: The railways and the Devon floods”, in Trains Illustrated, page 709:[...] 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.
* 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.
** 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, published 1707, →OCLC:The Parliament would yet give his majesty sufficient caution that the war should be vigorously prosecuted.
* (dated) One who draws attention or causes astonishment by their behaviour.
    Oh, that boy, he's a caution! He does make me laugh.
** 1915, W. Somerset Maugham, chapter 58, in Of Human Bondage:‘You are a caution,’ she said, when she came out. ‘I don't understand you.’
* (law) A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
* (soccer) A yellow card.

#### Synonyms

* See also Thesaurus:caution

#### Hyponyms

* precaution

#### Derived terms

* abundance of caution
* cast caution to the wind
* cautionary
* caution fatigue
* caution money
* caution - slippery when wet
* caution to snakes
* cautious
* competition caution
* err on the side of caution
* hypercaution
* incaution
* interview under caution
* precaution
* throw caution to the wind
* toss caution to the wind

#### Related terms

* caveat

#### Translations

    The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

### Verb

caution (third-person singular simple present cautions, present participle cautioning, simple past and past participle cautioned)
* (transitive) To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted.
** 2018 July 13, Jaime Marie Davis, “How photographers have captured skateboarding through generations”, in CNN‎: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.”
* (soccer) To give a yellow card

#### Derived terms

* cautioner
* overcaution

#### Translations
### Anagrams

* auction, tauonic

## French
### Etymology

Inherited from Old French caution, borrowed from Latin cautiōnem, from cautus, past participle of caveō, cavēre (“be on one's guard”).

### Pronunciation

* IPA: /ko.sjɔ̃/
* Audio:(file)

### Noun

caution f (plural cautions)
* caution, guaranty, bail
* deposit
* security deposit

#### Derived terms

* cautionnement m
* cautionner

### Further reading

* “caution”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé [Digitized Treasury of the French Language], 2012.

### Anagrams

* couinât

## Norman
### Etymology

From Old French caution, borrowed from Latin cautiō, cautiōnem.

### Noun

caution f (plural cautions)
* (Jersey) deposit
* (Jersey, law) bail