warn

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Warned p. pr. & vb. n. Warning. ] [ OE. warnen, warnien, AS. warnian, wearnian, to take heed, to warn; akin to AS. wearn denial, refusal, OS. warning, wernian, to refuse, OHG. warnen, G. warnen to warn, OFries. warna, werna, Icel. varna to refuse; and probably to E. wary. &unr_;&unr_;&unr_;&unr_;. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To make ware or aware; to give previous information to; to give notice to; to notify; to admonish; hence, to notify or summon by authority; as, to warn a town meeting; to warn a tenant to quit a house. “Warned of the ensuing fight.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

Cornelius the centurion . . . was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee. Acts x. 22. [ 1913 Webster ]

Who is it that hath warned us to the walls? Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To give notice to, of approaching or probable danger or evil; to caution against anything that may prove injurious. “Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus' danger, urging swift relief.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To ward off. [ Obs. ] Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who warns; an admonisher. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A warrener. [ Obs. ] Piers Plowman. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Previous notice. “At a month's warning.” Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

A great journey to take upon so short a warning. L'Estrange. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Caution against danger, or against faults or evil practices which incur danger; admonition; monition. [ 1913 Webster ]

Could warning make the world more just or wise. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Giving previous notice; cautioning; admonishing; as, a warning voice. [ 1913 Webster ]

That warning timepiece never ceased. Longfellow. [ 1913 Webster ]

Warning piece,
Warning wheel (Horol.), a piece or wheel which produces a sound shortly before the clock strikes. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a warning manner. [ 1913 Webster ]