INDEX:
1. to warn someone about something
2. what you say when you want to warn someone
3. making you realize that something bad could happen
4. a spoken or written statement that warns people
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ ADVISE
↑ THREATEN
↑ DANGEROUS
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1. to warn someone about something
▷ warn /wɔːʳn/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to tell someone about something unpleasant or dangerous that might happen, so that they can avoid it or prevent it :
▪ We tried to warn her, but she refused to listen.
▪ The consequences could be serious - I just wanted to warn you.
warn (that)
▪ The local people were warned that the volcano might erupt at any time.
▪ We were warned there were going to be delays on the motorway, so we came back by a different route.
warn somebody about something
especially spoken
▪ I was going for a swim, until the people in the hotel warned me about the jellyfish.
warn (somebody) of something
especially written
▪ Weather forecasters warned of possible flooding in coastal regions.
warn somebody (not) to do something
▪ Police are warning drivers not to go out on the roads unless their journey is really necessary.
warn somebody against doing something
▪ Tourists are warned against going to remoter regions.
▷ give somebody a warning /ˌgɪv somebody ə ˈwɔːʳnɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
to tell someone that if they continue to behave in an unsatisfactory way, they will be punished :
▪ So you’ve given her a warning about her conduct in future?
give sb a warning that
▪ The US gave a warning that, if the hostages were not released, they would be forced to take military action.
give somebody a final warning
▪ One day Monica’s boss gave her a final warning. If she messed up again, she was fired.
▷ warn off /ˌwɔːʳn ˈɒf/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to try to prevent someone from doing something by warning them about the trouble or problems it could cause for them :
warn somebody off
▪ The army had put signs up around the area where the mines were, to warn people off.
warn somebody off doing something
▪ Even though we’d been warned off going into the mountains, we couldn’t resist it.
warn off somebody
▪ The female rattlesnake warns off intruders by making a loud noise.
▷ caution /ˈkɔːʃ ə n/ [transitive verb] formal
to warn someone not to do something because it is likely to be dangerous or have a bad result :
▪ ‘Be careful now,’ Sarah cautioned. ‘Don’t do anything stupid.’
caution somebody against doing something
▪ The policeman cautioned the children against talking to strangers.
caution against (doing) something
▪ Marshall cautioned against pouring millions of pounds into taking legal action when there was no guarantee of victory.
▷ tip off /ˌtɪp ˈɒf/ [transitive phrasal verb]
to warn someone about something that is going to happen, especially to warn the police about a crime, so that they can try to prevent it :
be tipped off about
▪ The police had been tipped off about the gang’s arrival.
be tipped off that
▪ Customs officers had been tipped off that the drugs were hidden in a child’s rucksack.
tip somebody off
▪ Someone must have tipped the press off about the princess’s visit.
tip off somebody
▪ A farmer noticed our foreign accents and tipped off the Security Police.
▷ alert /əˈlɜːʳt/ [transitive verb]
to officially or publicly warn people of possible danger so that they can be ready to deal with it :
▪ When he realized that one engine was not working, the pilot alerted air traffic control.
alert somebody to something
▪ a poster campaign to alert people to the disease
alert somebody that
▪ Drivers are being alerted that an escaped prisoner has been seen hitch-hiking on the road to Frankfurt.
▷ sound/raise the alarm /ˌsaʊnd, ˌreɪz ði əˈlɑːʳm/ [verb phrase]
to warn everyone about something bad or dangerous that is already happening so that they can take action to stop it or avoid it :
▪ Leighton was told to stand at the door, and to raise the alarm if a guard came.
sound/raise the alarm about
▪ The Red Cross has sounded the alarm about the danger of further famine in the region.
▪ The problem is that if you sound the alarm about fraud in your company, you might end up out of a job.
▷ forewarn /fɔːʳˈwɔːʳn/ [transitive verb] formal
to warn someone about something bad that is going to happen soon, so that they have enough time to prepare for it :
▪ Barry Hearn forewarned me that the meeting was going to be tough.
be forewarned of something
▪ A police team, forewarned of the raid, had taken up positions inside the bank.
▷ I told you!/I told you so! /aɪ ˈtəʊld juː, aɪ ˈtəʊld juː ˌsəʊ/ spoken
say this when you had warned someone about a possible danger that has now happened, especially if they ignored your warning :
▪ I told you he had a violent temper! Why did you argue with him?
▪ I told you so! It was obvious she was going to disappear as soon as she got the money.
▪ I hate to say ‘I told you so’, but maybe you should listen to me next time.
2. what you say when you want to warn someone
▷ look out/watch out /ˌlʊk ˈaʊt, ˌwɒtʃ ˈaʊtǁˌwɑːtʃ-/ spoken
say this to urgently warn someone that they will have an accident if they do not immediately try to avoid it :
▪ ‘Look out!’ yelled Willie. ‘He’s got a gun!’
▪ Look out! There’s a train coming!
▪ Watch out! You nearly hit that car.
▷ mind /maɪnd/ British spoken
use this to warn someone not to touch something or do something that would be dangerous or cause trouble :
▪ Mind the table Charlotte, there are drinks on it.
mind/mind out
▪ Mind! The plate’s hot.
▪ Mind out! There’s a motorcycle!
mind you don’t do something
▪ The cat’s down there - mind you don’t tread on him.
mind how you go
used to warn someone to walk carefully to avoid slipping or falling
▪ Mind how you go. The path’s a bit slippery.
▷ watch it/watch out /ˈwɒtʃ ɪt, ˌwɒtʃ ˈaʊtǁˈwɑːtʃ-/
use this to warn someone that what they are doing could be dangerous :
▪ ‘Watch out!’ yelled the driver, as the truck veered towards his car.
▪ Watch it! You nearly knocked my head off with that ladder.
▷ be careful /biː ˈkeəʳf ə l/ spoken
use this to warn someone that what they are doing could be dangerous :
▪ I handed Phil the heavy revolver. ‘Be careful, it’s loaded.’
▪ Be careful, it’s very hot.
be careful with
▪ Hey! Be careful with that cigarette!
be careful/take care not to do something
▪ Be careful not to do anything that might make him angry.
▷ beware /bɪˈweəʳ/ [] especially written
used to warn people about something dangerous - usually seen on signs and official statements :
▪ Beware. Deep water.
beware of
▪ Beware of the dog.
▪ Beware of falling rocks.
▪ The police warn tourists to beware of pickpockets, especially in crowded places.
beware of doing something
▪ Beware of accidentally starting the engine while you are cleaning the blades.
▷ you’d better /juːd ˈbetəʳ/ spoken informal
use this to warn or advise someone that they should do something in order to avoid trouble :
▪ ‘I suppose I ought to apologize.’ ‘Yes, you’d better, or she might make things difficult for you.’
you’d better do something
▪ You’d better tell the police in case they think it was your fault.
▪ The train leaves in twenty minutes, so you’d better hurry up!
▷ something ends in tears / something ˌendz ɪn ˈtɪəʳz/ British spoken
say this to warn someone that something they are determined to do is not sensible and will probably end badly :
▪ Never have an affair with a work colleague - they usually end in tears.
it’ll (all) end in tears
▪ My common sense told me: ‘Stay away! It’ll end in tears!’
3. making you realize that something bad could happen
▷ warn /wɔːʳn/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
warn somebody (that)
▪ Something warned Lucy that she must stop him.
▪ The bleached bones of cattle warn the traveler how hot it can be in Death Valley.
warn of
▪ Dark clouds warned of the approaching storm.
▷ be a warning /biː ə ˈwɔːʳnɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
if an event or fact is a warning, it shows that something bad could happen or is going to happen :
▪ The story of the Titanic is a warning to anyone who trusts too much in their technology.
▪ The only warning was a low rumbling sound.
be a warning of
▪ Pain in the shoulder and arm can be a warning of a heart attack.
▷ set (the) alarm bells ringing /ˌset (ði) əˈlɑːʳm belz ˌrɪŋɪŋ/ [verb phrase]
if something sets (the) alarm bells ringing it makes you realize that something seriously wrong or very dangerous is happening :
▪ There were no lights on when I got home. That immediately set alarm bells ringing.
▪ A brief study of the company’s accounts set the alarm bells ringing -- there was no trace of the $56 million loan.
▷ ominous /ˈɒmɪnəs, ˈɒmənəsǁˈɑː-/ [adjective]
making you think that something bad has happened or is likely to happen soon :
▪ Another wave crashed onto the deck and the mast made an ominous creaking sound.
▪ Katy answered the phone. There was an ominous silence.
something sounds ominous
▪ My manager asked for an appointment at nine o'clock on a Monday morning: it sounded ominous.
ominously [adverb]
▪ When the army moved into the city, the streets were ominously silent.
▷ warning /ˈwɔːʳnɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]
intended to or likely to warn you that something bad will happen if you continue to do something or do not do something :
▪ Aunt Lou shot a warning glance at father just as he was about to speak.
▪ He grabbed her pistol and fired a warning shot. The intruder ran back out into the hall.
▪ From the trees there came a warning screech and the whole flock took to the air.
▷ cautionary /ˈkɔːʃən ə riǁ-neri/ [adjective only before noun]
cautionary tale/note
something that provides a warning of something bad that could happen or a warning against particular actions or behaviour :
▪ The rise and fall of this company is a cautionary tale for anyone investing in the property market.
▪ The director ended her speech on a cautionary note, when she said that next year would be even harder than this year.
4. a spoken or written statement that warns people
▷ warning /ˈwɔːʳnɪŋ/ [countable noun]
something that you say or do to warn people about danger or to warn them not to do something :
▪ All cigarette packets carry a government health warning.
give a warning
▪ The weather report gave a warning of more snow and icy roads.
warning to
▪ Two of the prisoners were publicly beaten, as a warning to the others.
without (any) warning
without giving a warning
▪ Soldiers began firing into the crowd without any warning.
▷ tip-off /ˈtɪp ɒf/ [countable noun]
a warning that something bad is going to happen, especially a warning about a crime that is given to the police in time for them to stop it happening :
▪ Police were called to the hotel after a tip-off.
acting on a tip-off
doing something because of a tip-off
▪ Acting on a tip-off, customs officers seized 50 kilos of cocaine from a house in Leicester.
▷ caution /ˈkɔːʃ ə n/ [countable noun] formal
a warning to someone about a possible danger, especially a warning added to the end of a statement or piece of information :
▪ This caution cannot be overstated: if the belts are incorrectly adjusted they are useless.
▪ Caution: do not install electrical equipment near or around water sources.