aware
- 01 B1 Intermediate
adj.knowing about something or noticing that it exists.
adj.having knowledge or perception of a situation or fact. Usually used with 'of' or a 'that' clause.
Simple“Were you aware of the change in the meeting time?”
In context“Most consumers are fully aware that prices tend to rise during the holiday season, yet spending habits remain largely unchanged.”
UsageCommonly follows the verb 'to be' and takes the preposition 'of' or a 'that' clause.
PitfallI am aware about the problem. I am aware of the problem.Use the preposition 'of' after aware when followed by a noun.
- 02 B2 Upper Intermediate
adj.watching out for problems or danger.
adj.vigilant or on one's guard against potential difficulty or danger.
Simple“You need to be aware when walking alone in a new city at night.”
In context“Mountain hikers must remain constantly aware of shifting weather patterns, as conditions can turn treacherous within minutes.”
- 03 C2 Proficiency
v.to tell someone about something so they know it.
v.to make someone aware of a fact or situation. This usage is nonstandard and typically found in specific dialects.
Simple“He tried to aware me of the situation before the boss arrived.”
In context“In certain regional dialects, you might hear a speaker attempt to aware their colleagues of a pending deadline.”
UsageTransitive verb; takes a direct object.
Teacher's tipThis verbal use is rare in standard English; learners should stick to 'inform' or 'make aware'.
From Middle English aware, iwar, iware, ywar, from Old English ġewær (“aware”), from Proto-West Germanic gawar, from Proto-Germanic waraz (“aware, cautious”), from Proto-Indo-European worós (“attentive”), from wer- (“to heed; watch out”). Cognate with Dutch gewaar, German gewahr, Danish var, Swedish var, Icelandic varr.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.