caution

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. n. Careful forethought to avoid danger or harm.
2. n. Close attention or vigilance to minimize risk: The car proceeded over the rickety bridge with caution.
3. n. Prudence or restraint in action or decision: advised caution in choosing a school.
4. n. A warning or admonishment, especially to take heed: I received a caution from the doctor about fat in my diet.
5. n. A cautious action; a precaution: The climbers took the necessary cautions in preparing for the ascent.
6. n. Informal One that is striking or alarming.
7. v. To advise to take heed; warn or admonish.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. Prudence in regard to danger; wariness, consisting in a careful attention to probable and possible results, and a judicious course of conduct to avoid failure or disaster.
2. n. Anything intended or serving to induce wariness; a warning given either by word of mouth or in any other way; monitory advice.
3. n. Provision or security against something; provident care; precaution.
4. n. In recent Eng. law, a written warning or caveat filed with the registrar of land-titles against dealings with the land without notice to the cautioner, or person who files the warning.
5. n. Security; guaranty; pledge; bail.
6. n. A person who gives security; a surety; a cautioner.
7. n. Bond; bill.
8. n. Something to excite alarm or astonishment; something extraordinary: absolutely or with some fanciful addition: as, the way they scattered was a caution to snakes.
9. n. Admonition.
10. To give notice of danger to; warn; exhort to take heed.

Wiktionary

1. n. Precept or warning against evil or danger of any kind; exhortation to wariness; advice; injunction.
2. n. A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness.
3. n. Security; guaranty; bail.
4. n. One who gives rise to attention or astonishment.
5. n. A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
6. v. transitive To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. n. A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided; prudence in regard to danger; provident care; wariness.
2. n. rare Security; guaranty; bail.
3. n. Precept or warning against evil of any kind; exhortation to wariness; advice; injunction.
4. n. (Civil & Scots Law) A pledge, bond, or other security for the performance of an obligation either in or out of judicial proceedings; the promise or contract of one not for himself but another; security.
5. v. To give notice of danger to; to warn; to exhort [one] to take heed.

WordNet 3.0

1. v. warn strongly; put on guard
2. n. judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger
3. n. the trait of being cautious; being attentive to possible danger
4. n. the trait of being circumspect and prudent
5. n. a warning against certain acts