Idiom
cautionary tale
Meaning
A story, originally told in folklore, to warn its audience of a certain danger.
Meaning adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Examples
“His failed business is a cautionary tale for new entrepreneurs.”
“The documentary about the company's collapse serves as a cautionary tale for anyone ignoring basic safety rules.”
“The rise and fall of the empire remains a cautionary tale, illustrating how unchecked ambition inevitably leads to ruin.”
Examples
simple
“His failed business is a cautionary tale for new entrepreneurs.”
contextual
“The documentary about the company's collapse serves as a cautionary tale for anyone ignoring basic safety rules.”
complex
“The rise and fall of the empire remains a cautionary tale, illustrating how unchecked ambition inevitably leads to ruin.”
Key words
Related idioms
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