Caution: Care Taken in Advance, and a Warning From the Police
Caution is care taken to avoid danger. In British law it also names a formal warning given by police, either before questioning or instead of prosecution.
Caution is deliberate carefulness in the face of possible danger. Its legal senses are worth separating: in England and Wales the police caution someone before questioning them, and can also issue a caution as an alternative to charging them. Same word, two very different moments.
- Care to avoid danger. *Proceed with caution.*
- A warning. *A word of caution before you start.*
- A formal police warning. *He was given a caution.*
- To warn (verb). *She cautioned against rushing.*
Word forms
| Form | Word | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Noun | caution | Extreme caution. |
| Verb | caution | I would caution you. |
| Adjective | cautious | A cautious estimate. |
| Adverb | cautiously | He answered cautiously. |
| Adjective | cautionary | A cautionary tale. |
How it is used in a sentence
- Treat these figures with caution.With caution is the standard adverbial phrase.
- He was cautioned but not charged.The legal alternative to prosecution.
- Her story is a cautionary tale for new investors.A story told as a warning.
Degrees of care
- Caution — deliberate care against a known risk
- Care — general attentiveness, no danger implied
- Prudence — good judgement over the long term
- Wariness — suspicion of a particular threat
- Timidity — excessive caution, and never a compliment
From Latin *cautio*, a taking care, from *cavere*, to beware — the verb behind the famous warning *caveat emptor*, let the buyer beware.
Caution against or caution about?
Caution against an action: *cautioned against investing*. Caution about a subject: *cautioned about the risks*.
Does a police caution count as a conviction?
No, but it is recorded and can be disclosed in some checks, so it is not the same as no action at all.