warning — OAT

warning

noun

1 the earthquake came without warning:

notice, advance notice, a word of warning, forewarning, alert;

hint, signal, sign, alarm bells;

informal a tip-off.

2 cigarette packets are required to carry a health warning:

caution, piece of advice, notification, information;

exhortation, injunction, a (warning) shot across the bows;

advice, counseling;

informal a word to the wise.

3 a warning of things to come:

omen, premonition, foreboding, prophecy, prediction, forecast, token, portent, augury, signal, sign, threat;

literary foretoken.

4 he was considering locking Lenny up as a warning to other young drivers:

example, deterrent, lesson, caution, exemplar, message, moral.

5 a further complaint may lead to a written warning:

admonition, caution, remonstrance, injunction, reprimand, censure, caveat;

informal dressing-down, talking-to, ticking off, telling-off;

British, informal carpeting.