admonition

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Mild, kind, yet earnest reproof.
2. n. Cautionary advice or warning.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. The act, or an act, of admonishing; counsel or advice; gentle reproof; instruction in duties; caution; direction.
2. n. Eccles., public or private reproof to reclaim an offender: the first step in church discipline, followed, when unheeded, by suspension or excommunication. Synonyms Admonition, Reprehension, Reproof, Monition, Censure, Reproach, Rebuke, Reprimand, remonstrance, expostulation, warning, suggestion, hint, intimation. In the primary and almost invariable sense, admonition, reprehension, and reproof are bestowed upon conduct which is morally defective. Censure and reprehension may or may not be addressed directly to the person blamed; the utterances expressed by the other words are always so addressed. Admonition is caution or warning with reference to future conduct; it is often based upon past failures: as, admonition not to repeat a fault. It is often an official act, as of the authorities of a church, school, or college. Monition is a softer word, and is mostly confined to subjective promptings or warnings: as, the monitions of conscience or of reason. The other words are wholly retrospective. Reprehension may be the mildest of them, or may be strengthened by an adjective: as, the severest reprehension. It is unofficial, and may denote the act of an equal. Reproof is the act of a superior or elder, an authoritative and personal censure. Censure is unfavorable judgment, generally severe, possibly official. Reproach is censure with opprobrium; it is used chiefly as a relief to excited feelings, and is intended to humiliate rather than correct. Rebuke is energetic and summary, like stopping one's mouth; it implies feeling, like reproach, but more self-control. Reprimand is the act of a superior, is severe, and is often official and public as a form of penalty: as, sentenced to receive a reprimand from his commanding officer in the presence of the regiment. (See the discrimination of corresponding verbs under censure, v.)

Wiktionary

1. n. Gentle or friendly reproof; counseling against fault or oversight; warning.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. Gentle or friendly reproof; counseling against a fault or error; expression of authoritative advice; friendly caution or warning.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. cautionary advice about something imminent (especially imminent danger or other unpleasantness)
2. n. a firm rebuke