noun / verb
caution
KAW-shun/ˈkɔːʃn/
Care exercised to prevent harm or error.
He tests the slippery step with caution while gripping the handrail.
Etymology
Being “on one's guard” supplies the central idea of watchful care against danger. Although English first used caution for a pledge or guarantee, it later recovered the Latin sense of prudence.
In context
more caution is in order. Avoiding sensationalist media, searching for criticisms of suspicious information
More examples
- The guide cautions us about loose rocks.
- Her lawyer urges caution before signing the agreement.
- The officer gives the driver a formal caution.
Forms
caution · cautions · cautioned · cautioning
cautious adjective — Careful to avoid danger or mistakes.