Caution

Etymology

From Latin "cautio" (a taking heed, precaution), from "cavere" (to beware, be on guard). The same root warns us in "caveat" ("let him beware"); caution is the habit of the person who has taken the warning to heart.

noun · /KAW-shun/
Careful attention to avoid danger or error.
What it names
Wariness as a stance — heightened alertness to risk — which protects when calibrated and paralyzes when not.
Example
Caution kept her from the first risky trade and, three years later, from the one that finally paid off.
Related idea
Caution is alert wariness in the face of danger; prudence is the broader practical wisdom of choosing well overall, which sometimes counsels caution and sometimes counsels boldness.
verb · /KAW-shun/
To warn someone, urging care or advising against a course of action.
What it names
the act of giving a warning
Example
The doctor cautioned him against lifting anything heavy for a month.
Related idea
A well-timed caution works like a prodrome — an early signal that lets you head off the trouble it warns of.