Adjacent Words

Warn definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

WARN, v.t. [G.]
1. To give notice of approaching or probable danger or evil, that it may be avoided; to caution against any thing that may prove injurious.
Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus danger-- being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Matthew 2.
2. To caution against evil practices. 1 Th 5.
3. To admonish of any duty.
Cornelius--was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee. Acts 10.
4. To inform previously; to give notice to.
--Warnd of th ensuing fight.
5. To notify by authority; to summon; as, to warn the citizens to meet on a certain day; to warn soldiers to appear on parade.
6. To ward off. [Not in use.]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

v
1: notify of danger, potential harm, or risk; "The director warned him that he might be fired"; "The doctor warned me about the dangers of smoking"
2: admonish or counsel in terms of someone's behavior; "I warned him not to go too far"; "I warn you against false assumptions"; "She warned him to be quiet" [syn: warn, discourage, admonish, monish]
3: ask to go away; "The old man warned the children off his property"
4: notify, usually in advance; "I warned you that I would ask some difficult questions"

Merriam Webster's

verb Etymology: Middle English, from Old English warnian; akin to Old High German warn?n to take heed, Old English wær careful, aware — more at wary Date: before 12th century transitive verb 1. a. to give notice to beforehand especially of danger or evil b. to give admonishing advice to ; counsel c. to call to one's attention ; inform 2. to order to go or stay away — often used with off intransitive verb to give a warning • warner noun

Oxford Reference Dictionary

v.tr. 1 (also absol.) a (often foll. by of, or that + clause, or to + infin.) inform of danger, unknown circumstances, etc. (warned them of the danger; warned her that she was being watched; warned him to expect a visit). b (often foll. by against) inform (a person etc.) about a specific danger, hostile person, etc. (warned her against trusting him). 2 (usu. with neg.) admonish; tell forcefully (has been warned not to go). 3 give (a person) cautionary notice regarding conduct etc. (shall not warn you again). Phrases and idioms: warn off 1 tell (a person) to keep away (from). 2 prohibit from attending races, esp. at a specified course. Derivatives: warner n. Etymology: OE war(e)nian, wearnian ult. f. Gmc: cf. WARE(3)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Warn Warn (w[add]rn), v. t. [OE. wernen, AS. weornan, wyrnan. Cf. Warn to admonish.] To refuse. [Written also wern, worn.] [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Warn Warn, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Warned; p. pr. & vb. n. Warning.] [OE. warnen, warnien, AS. warnian, wearnian, to take heed, to warn; akin to AS. wearn denial, refusal, OS. warning, wernian, to refuse, OHG. warnen, G. warnen to warn, OFries. warna, werna, Icel. varna to refuse; and probably to E. wary. ????.] 1. To make ware or aware; to give previous information to; to give notice to; to notify; to admonish; hence, to notify or summon by authority; as, to warn a town meeting; to warn a tenant to quit a house. ``Warned of the ensuing fight.'' --Dryden. Cornelius the centurion . . . was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee. --Acts x. 22. Who is it that hath warned us to the walls? --Shak. 2. To give notice to, of approaching or probable danger or evil; to caution against anything that may prove injurious. ``Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus' danger, urging swift relief.'' --Dryden. 3. To ward off. [Obs.] --Spenser.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(warns, warning, warned) Frequency: The word is one of the 1500 most common words in English. 1. If you warn someone about something such as a possible danger or problem, you tell them about it so that they are aware of it. When I had my first baby friends warned me that children were expensive... They warned him of the dangers of sailing alone... Analysts warned that Europe's most powerful economy may be facing trouble... He also warned of a possible anti-Western backlash. VERB: V n that, V n of/about n, V that, V of n 2. If you warn someone not to do something, you advise them not to do it so that they can avoid possible danger or punishment. Mrs. Blount warned me not to interfere... 'Don't do anything yet,' he warned. 'Too risky.'... 'Keep quiet, or they'll all come out,' they warned him... I wish I'd listened to the people who warned me against having the operation... VERB: V n to-inf, V with quote, V n with quote, V n against n/-ing

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

v. a. 1. Caution (against danger), premonish, forewarn, exhort to take heed, put on one's guard. 2. Admonish (with respect to some duty), advise. 3. Inform, notify, apprise, disclose to, mention to, communicate to, make aware, make acquainted, give notice to, give warning. 4. Summon, bid, call.

Moby Thesaurus

admonish, advise, alarm, alert, apprehend, apprise, arouse, ask, ask for, be imminent, blackmail, bludgeon, bode, bulldoze, call for, caution, challenge, charge, claim, clamor for, comminate, counsel, croak, cry for, cry havoc, cry out against, cry wolf, daunt, demand, denounce, direct, dissuade, encourage, enjoin, exact, exhort, expostulate, extort, fly storm warnings, forebode, forewarn, frighten, frighten off, give fair warning, give notice, give warning, guide, have a premonition, have a presentiment, impose, incite, indent, induce, inform, intimidate, issue a caveat, issue an ultimatum, kid out of, levy, look black, look threatening, lower, make a demand, menace, move, notify, order, order up, persuade, place an order, portend, preach, preapprehend, prompt, put in requisition, remonstrate, require, requisition, screw, sound the alarm, sound the tocsin, startle, talk out of, tell, threaten, tip, tip off, unpersuade, urge, utter a caveat, utter threats against, warn against