See Also: warning(1)(dictionary)
warning(2)(dictionary)
Miranda Warning(law)
warning 2, adjective(dictionary)
warning 1, noun(dictionary)
profits warning(dictionary)
early warning(dictionary)
Profit warning(finance)
government health warning(dictionary)
hypoxia warning system(medicine)

warning(1) (iou)



warning noun.
[Old English war(e)nung, wearning, from war(e)nian, wearnian WARN verb1: see -ING1.]
Heed, precaution. OE-L16.
Indication, intimation, or threatening of impending misfortune or danger; a sign or message of this. OE.
New Scientist Finches and sandgrouse gave warning of the approach of predators. D. Acheson Without warning a hurricane struck. J. le Carre A man whose warnings go unheeded until it's too late.
a. Deterrent counsel; cautionary advice against neglect of duty or imprudent or wrongful action. OE.
b. An experience, sight, etc., that serves as a caution; a deterrent example. E17.
O. Nash My head is on a pole as a warning to all young men..planning to be too bright.
c. The action or an instance of warning someone off (see WARN verb1 7c). L20.
Advice to beware of a person or thing as being dangerous; an instance of this. ME.
a. Advance notice of an event; length of time allowed for preparation for an event. ME.
Ld Macaulay At a moment's warning the Sheriff adjourned the poll.
b. In some clocks, the clicking or whirring noise which precedes the striking. L18.
c. A signal given by means of a siren etc. to indicate that an aerial attack is imminent; an air-raid warning. E20.
Notice of termination of a business connection, esp. by a landlord to a tenant, an employer to an employee, or vice versa. Now rare. LME.
Advance notice of being called on to perform some duty. LME-M18.
a. Notification of a fact or occurrence. LME-E17.
b. A notice or signal that a certain time has come, or that it is time to do something. LME-E19.
A summons, a command for attendance. Now formal. LME.
Phrases: Gypsy's warning: see GYPSY noun. red warning: see RED adjective. Scarborough warning: see SCARBOROUGH 1. sound a note of warning: see NOTE noun2. take warning alter one's course of action when warned of its danger. the usual warning the customary caution given by a police officer when making an arrest, viz. that anything the suspect says may be taken down and used in evidence. yellow warning: see YELLOW adjective.
Comb.: warning bell (a) a bell for giving alarm of fire or attack; (b) a bell announcing the imminent departure of a vessel; (c) a bell alerting people to prepare for a meal etc.; warning-piece (a) a signal-gun discharged to give notification of arrival, danger, etc.; (b) Horology a piece in a clock which produces the warning just before striking (see sense 5b above); warning-pipe an overflow pipe serving to show when a cistern is too full; warning track Baseball a strip around the outside of the outfield which warns approaching fielders of the proximity of a wall; warning triangle a triangular red frame carried by motorists, and set up on the road as a danger signal to warn approaching drivers of the proximity of a broken-down vehicle or other hazard; warning-wheel Horology: that produces the warning (see sense 5b above).
warningfully adverb (rare) warningly E20.