caution
n. C / Un. careful thought and attention to avoid danger or mistakes. You use this when you want to be safe and not take unnecessary risks.
n. care taken to avoid danger or mistakes; the quality of being prudent in one's actions. Often used in the context of safety or legal warnings.
You should exercise caution when walking on the icy sidewalk.
The police officer gave the driver a formal caution instead of a ticket for the minor traffic violation.
While the initial data looks promising, the lead researcher urged the board to proceed with extreme caution until the long-term effects are fully understood.
Recorded since 1297 as Middle English caucioun (“bail, guarantee, pledge”), from Old French caution (“security, surety”), itself from Latin cautiō, from cautus, past participle of caveō, cavēre (“be on one's guard”).
Often follows the verbs 'exercise', 'urge', or 'proceed with'. In a legal context, it refers to a formal warning given to someone who has committed an offence.
he acted with a cautionhe acted with cautionWhen referring to the general quality of being careful, the noun is uncountable and does not take an article.