act warning
B1Neutral to formal
Definition
Meaning
A statement or event that informs someone about a possible danger, problem, or undesirable consequence.
A formal or official notice of something negative; a caution or admonition; a sign or indication that something is about to happen, often something bad.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word 'warning' implies a degree of urgency or seriousness. It is often preventive, aiming to allow the recipient to avoid the negative outcome. It can be verbal, written, or non-verbal (e.g., a warning sign).
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Usage is largely identical. Minor differences may exist in phrasing; for example, Brits might be slightly more likely to use 'advance warning', while Americans might use 'early warning' or simply 'warning'.
Connotations
Identical core connotations of caution and impending danger. No significant cultural variance in interpretation.
Frequency
High frequency in both varieties. Slightly more common in American legal/formal contexts (e.g., 'warning label').
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
issue a warning to someone about somethinggive someone a warningserve as a warningact as a warningdo something without warningVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A word to the wise (is enough)”
- “Write on the wall”
- “Sound the alarm”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
A formal written warning for poor performance or misconduct.
Academic
The study included a warning about the limitations of its methodology.
Everyday
He left without giving any warning.
Technical
The system triggered a low-pressure warning.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The lifeguard warned the swimmers about the strong current.
- I must warn you that proceeding is at your own risk.
American English
- The National Weather Service warned residents of the approaching tornado.
- The label warns against operating machinery after taking this medication.
adverb
British English
- This word is not typically used as an adverb. 'Warningly' is extremely rare and not standard.
American English
- This word is not typically used as an adverb. 'Warningly' is extremely rare and not standard.
adjective
British English
- He shot me a warning glance across the room.
- The red light serves as a warning signal.
American English
- She gave a warning shot over the intruder's head.
- The software displayed a warning message before deleting the files.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The teacher gave him a warning for talking in class.
- Look at the warning on the packet.
- They had no warning that the storm was coming.
- He ignored the warning and went swimming anyway.
- The government issued a stark warning about the economic crisis.
- The strange noise was a warning of impending engine failure.
- Her dissertation included a caveat warning against overgeneralising the findings.
- The diplomat's remarks were construed as a veiled warning to the hostile regime.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a WARning siren before a battle – it warns you of danger.
Conceptual Metaphor
WARNING IS A SHIELD (it protects you from future harm).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid translating 'warning' as 'предупреждение' in all contexts, as the Russian word can sound overly formal or bureaucratic for everyday use. Sometimes 'предостережение' or simply 'осторожно!' is more natural.
- Do not confuse 'warning' (предупреждение) with 'caution' (осторожность). 'Caution' is the general quality of being careful; a 'warning' is a specific instance of advising caution.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'warning' as a verb (incorrect: 'I am warning you to stop.' should be 'I am warning you to stop' is correct, but 'warning' is a gerund/noun in that phrase. The verb is 'to warn').
- Confusing 'warning' with 'threat'. A warning informs of a danger; a threat is a statement of an intention to cause harm.
Practice
Quiz
In a formal business context, what does a 'final written warning' typically precede?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
A 'warning' is typically more urgent and specific, indicating a definite danger. A 'caution' suggests general carefulness or a potential, but less immediate, risk.
It is usually countable (e.g., 'several warnings'). It can be uncountable when referring to the concept in general (e.g., 'They fled without warning').
Yes, it's a common and natural expression of gratitude when someone has alerted you to a problem.
Common prepositions are 'about' (warning about the danger), 'of' (warning of side effects), 'to' (a warning to the public), and 'against' (a warning against complacency).