▪ I. warning, vbl. n.1
(ˈwɔːnɪŋ)
[OE. war(e)nung, wearning, fem., f. war(e)nian, wearnian, warn v.1: see -ing1. Cf. OHG. warnunga (MHG. warnunge, mod.G. warnung).]
The action of warn v.1
† 1. Taking heed, precaution. Obs.
Spenser's use suggests that the antithesis of ‘warning’ and ‘weird’ (fate) may have survived proverbially.
| c 1000 Sal. & Sat. 427 Full oft ic frode menn fyrn ᵹehyrde Secgan..hwæðer wære tweᵹra..strengra, wyrd ðe warnung. 1590 Spenser F.Q. iii. iv. 27 But ah, who can deceiue his destiny, Or weene by warning to auoyd his fate? |
2. a. Previous intimation or threat of impending evil or danger. Phrase,
to give warning (to), to warn. Also
Sc. to make warning.
† Scarborough warning: see
Scarborough.
| a 800 Cynewulf Crist 922 Ðæt mæᵹ wites to wearninga, þam ðe hafað wisne ᵹeþoht. a 1300 Cursor M. 2993 O þis warning he þam tald, And þai þam dred both yong and ald. 1330 R. Brunne Chron. Wace (Rolls) 8764 To opene my mouþ y ne dar ne may, Bot hit be a byhouely þyng at nede, Þat were warnyng of tokene of dede. 1375 Barbour Bruce v. 502 Thai maid him mony tyme varnyng, Quhen that thai his tynsale mycht se. c 1430 Syr Gener. (Roxb.) 2279 Of treason first I gaf him warnyng, Therfor I haue lost my living. 1548 Hall Chron., Edw. IV 215 The erle of Warwycke..wrote to the Marques Montacute..geuynge hym warnyng, and aduertesyng him in what perill their whole affayres stode in. 1590 Spenser F.Q. i. xi. 14 As two broad Beacons..Send forth their flames..And warning giue, that enemies conspyre, With fire and sword the region to inuade. c 1600 Timon i. ii. (1842) 6 Looke to thy selfe; I gyue thee fayre warning. 1656 N. Bernard Life Abp. Usher 91 So great a Prophet..might have at some speciall times more then ordinary motions and impulses in doing the Watch-mans part, of giving warning of Judgements approaching. 1681 Prideaux Lett. (Camden) 91 They talk nothing now but of wageing war with y⊇ King... However they thought fit first to give his Majesty some warneing. c 1718 Prior Paulo Purg. 160, I give you warning: You'll die before to-morrow morning. 1759 Hume Hist. Eng. Hen. VIII, i. 84 He gave his master warning of the danger [later edd. He made warning of the danger to his master]. 1814 Scott Ld. of Isles iv. xxvi, ‘In murderous strife,’ Said Bruce, ‘his warning saved my life’. 1846 A. Marsh Father Darcy II. xvi. 276 [Tresham] insisted vehemently that warning should be given to the Lord Mounteagle, his kinsman. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xviii. IV. 229 The banished oppressor had at least given Englishmen fair warning. |
b. A sign or portent of coming evil.
| c 1325 Yesterday 55 in Minor Poems fr. Vernon MS. 676 Nis non so fresch on fote to fare..Ne non so bold, Beores to bynde Þat he naþ warmynges [read warnynges] to beo ware. 1601 Shakes. Jul. C. ii. ii. 80 And these does she apply, for warnings and portents, And euils imminent. a 1700 Evelyn Diary 12 Dec. 1680, They [sc. comets] may be warnings from God, as they commonly are forerunners of his animadversions. 1794 Mrs. Radcliffe Myst. Udolpho vi, But I have heard it these many years, and outlived the warning. 1899 Allbutt's Syst. Med. VII. 767 This is called the ‘warning’ of the attack, or in medical terminology, the ‘aura’. |
3. Advice to beware of a person or thing as being dangerous.
| a 1225 Ancr. R. 62 Al Holi Writ is ful of warningge of eie. Dauid seide, ‘Averte oculos meos ne videant vanitatem’. 1842 Dickens Amer. Notes xvi, There we all stood, watching this revolving light upon the rock at Holyhead, and praising it for its brightness and its friendly warning. 1860 Tyndall Glac. i. xi. 83 Urged by the warnings of our..guide, we..began the descent. 1870 A. R. Wallace Contrib. Theory Nat. Select. (1871) 118 Some..perceived signal was therefore necessary to serve as a warning to birds never to touch these uneatable kinds [of caterpillars]. 1888 F. Hume Mme. Midas i. i, The result of this blind confidence justified the warnings of her friends. |
4. a. Deterrent counsel; cautionary advice against imprudent or vicious action, or neglect of duty.
| c 1000 ælfric On Old T. (Gr.) 7 [The Book of Proverbs is] wisdomes biᵹspell and warnung wið disiᵹ. c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 378 He had many grete warnyngis of hydousnes & perille of þis synne. 1393 Langl. P. Pl. C. iv. 431 The kyng [sc. Saul] spared, For-bar hym and hus beste bestes..Otherwise than god wolde by warnyng of the prophete. c 1400 Brut 116 Þe gode man warnede ham ofte-tymes þat folie to lete; but his warnyng availede litel for þe loue bituene ham was so miche. c 1440 Jacob's Well 8 Þou..awȝtyst gretly to desyre, to heryn his warnyng & his techyng. 1471 Caxton Recuyell (Sommer) 538 O what pyte was hyt, That the Troyans beleuyd not this warnyng and Amonycion. 1535 Coverdale Prov. x. 8 A wyse man wil receaue warnynge, but a foole wil sooner be smytten in the face. 1540 Palsgr. Acolastus i. i. D iij b, Surely he were a gaye gyuer of warnynge, yf his aduyse were ought worthe. 1642 J. Taylor (Water P.) Life Walker A 3, But all these faire warnings could not make M. Walker give over writing, lying and Libelling. 1713 Rowe Jane Shore iv. 47 Oh! should'st thou wrong her Just Heav'n shall double all thy Woes upon thee, And make 'em know no End—Remember this As the last Warning of a dying Man. 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. xix. IV. 344 ‘My Lord,’ said the King,..‘you will live to repent the part which you are taking in this matter.’ The warning was disregarded. 1858 Froude Hist. Eng. II. ix. 322 History is never weary of repeating its warnings against narrow judgements. 1907 Verney Mem. II. 54 Abstaining from a single word of reproach for the past or of warning for the future. |
b. An experience, sight, etc. that serves as a caution; a deterrent example.
| 1613 J. Saris Voy. Japan (Hakl. Soc.) 41 They laye a good while aboard of hir, and charged them to take this for a wardning [sic], and giue ouer there scoffing of them, or the next time they would teach them better manner. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1900) 219 Let Christian's slips before he came hither, and the Battles that he met with in this place, be a warning to those that come after. 1771 Junius Lett. No. lxvii. 331 note, It deserves to be recorded for the curiosity of the fact, and should be given to the public as a warning to every honest member of society. 1857 Maurice Ep. St. John xi. 170 Such a man is a spectacle and a warning to us all. |
c. to take warning: to alter one's course of action when warned of its danger. Const.
by (another's ill-fortune, etc.).
| 1550 Crowley Epigr. 784 An example thou shalt be, That all stouburne priestes may take warnyng by the. 1607 Shakes. Timon iii. i. 28 He wold embrace no counsell, take no warning by my comming. 1684 Bunyan Pilgr. ii. (1900) 198, I think it is well that they hang so near the High-way that others may see and take warning. 1859 Tennyson Enid 1520 Girl, for I see ye scorn my courtesies, Take warning. |
d. the usual warning: the caution that a police officer making an arrest is bound to give,
viz. that anything the suspect says may be taken down and used in evidence against him or her.
| [1919 Gregg & McGrath Police Constable's Guide (ed. 3) p. xlix, Persons in custody should not be questioned without the usual caution being first administered.] 1931 ‘G. Trevor’ Murder at School xiii. 255, I gave her the usual warning, of course, but she began to talk, all the same. 1975 ‘R. Player’ Let's talk of Graves v. 181 Holding my warrant in my right hand, I then gave her the usual warning and arrested her. |
e. The action or an instance of warning (someone)
off: see sense 6 of the
vb.| 1977 K. Benton Red Hen Conspiracy ix. 56 He gets an ambiguous warning-off from the Embassy, but that doesn't stop him. 1980 D. Francis Reflex xv. 181 They could have half-killed me... All they were truly delivering was a warning off. 1981 Times Lit. Suppl. 30 Jan. 108/5 The warning off of the racing correspondent of the Morning Post. |
5. a. Previous notice of an event whether good or bad.
† in warning: by way of warning. Also, time allowed for preparation, interval between the notice and the event (
e.g. in
long warning,
short warning,
a day's warning, etc.).
| a 1300 Cursor M. 21879 He sends us þis all in warning, For to be warr of his cuming. c 1370 Roberd of Cysille 464 in Hazl. E.E.P. I. 286 The aungelle gaf hym in warnynge Of the tyme of hys levynge. ? 1471 Stonor Papers (Camden) I. 117 A pryve seall..was delivered to him on Munday..which as your maystership knoweth well was right shorte warnyng. 1560 F. Allen in Lodge Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 345 The Quene's Mate hathe sworne that the daye and tyme shall be kepte secrete to herself,..so as the very tyme..will be so shorte and sodeyne that men are like to have small warninge of the matter. c 1590 Marlowe Faustus 391 Thou art at an houres warning whensoeuer or wheresoeuer the diuell shall fetch thee. 1596 Shakes. Tam. Shr. iv. iv. 60 The worst is this,—that at so slender warning, You are like to haue a thin and slender pittance. 1607 Statutes in Hist. Wakefield Gram. Sch. (1892) 59 Lawfull warninge of the daye of the election. 1617 Moryson Itin. ii. 44 The truce..was then concluded..till the Calends of May, except either of them should give fourteen daies warning of their purpose to breake the same. 1633 Fletcher & Shirley Night-Walker iv. i, But this will be reveng'd in a short warning. a 1701 Maundrell Journ. Jerus. (1732) 104 Where an Angel gave the Blessed Virgin three days warning of her Death. 1849 Macaulay Hist. Eng. iv. I. 479 At a moment's warning the Sheriff adjourned the poll to Newport Pagnell. |
b. In some clocks, the rattling or whirring noise which precedes the striking.
| 1775 J. Berridge Wks. (1864) 388 This, like the warning of a clock, prepares for the stroke. 1843 Penny Cycl. XXVII. 107/1 From that time till the hand comes to 60 the clock is on the warning. 1850 Denison Clock & Watch-m. 119 The noise made by this is called giving warning. 1875 Knight Dict. Mech. s.v. Warning-piece, The warning-piece, by starting the fly, causes a rustling noise, which is the precursor of the striking, and is called the warning. |
c. U.S. local. (See
quot.) ?
Obs.| 1807 C. W. Janson Stranger in Amer. 422 On such occasions [sc. burial of the dead] what they call ‘warnings’ is the day before, or early in the morning, given of the funeral. |
d. A signal given by means of a siren, etc., to indicate that an air attack is imminent, an air-raid warning.
Cf. alert n.1 1 b.
| 1917, 1938 [see air-raid]. 1940 H. Nicolson Diary 7 Sept. (1967) 111 The all-clear sounds at 6, but there is another warning at 8 which actually lasts till 5.30 a.m. 1953 R. Lehmann Echoing Grove 284 There are several regulars who bustle along the moment the Warning goes and don't stick their noses out again till the All-clear. 1982 T. Fitzgibbon With Love i. viii. 57 The air-raid siren had sounded..but a warning about a week previously had amounted to very little. |
6. Notice of the termination of a business relation, given by one of the parties to the other;
esp. by a landlord to a tenant, a master to a servant, an employer to an employee, or vice versa.
| 1432 Paston Lett. I. 33 The said Erle desireth that..he may, by warnyng to my Lordes..be and stande freely discharged of the saide occupation..about the Kinges persone. 1562–3 Act 5 Eliz. c. 4 §4 That no suche M{supr} M{supr}{sups} or Dame shall put awaye any suche Servante..without one quarter warning gyven before thende of his sayd terme. 1571–2 Reg. Privy Council Scot. II. 125 It salbe leful to ayther of the saidis partiis to use warningis for removing fra landis and heretabill possessioun. 1577 J. Dee Diary (Camden) 3, June 26th, Elen Lyne gave me a quarter's warning. a 1646 T. Hope Minor Pract. xiii. (1734) 363 The Objections against the Lawfulness of the Warning are, That the Parties are not lawfully warned personally, or at their Dwelling-places, or upon the Ground of the Lands,..or, That the Warning is not stamped, &c. 1666 Pepys Diary 30 Mar., Up and away goes Alce, our cook-maid;..and would go away of her own accord, after having given her mistress warning fickly for a quarter of a year together. 1676 Office of Clerk of Assize 112 If any Master hath put away his Servant before the end of his term, without a quarter warning, he shall forfeit forty shillings. 1697 Vanbrugh Relapse ii. (fin.), You shou'd never take a Lease of a House you can hire for a Quarter's Warning. 1715 Addison Drummer i. i, Coachman. I'll give Madam warning, that's flat—I've always liv'd in sober families. 1742 Richardson Pamela III. 209, I had talk'd to Mrs. Jervis to induce the Girl (to whom, in hopes of frightening her, I had given Warning..) to desire to stay. 1799 R. Bell Syst. Forms of Deeds Scot. II. 389 There is first a precept of warning given by the landlord; it is in this form... I..lawfully premonish, warn, and charge C. D. tenant and possessor of the lands of [blank], to flit and remove himself [etc.] 1837 Dickens Pickw. xxxii, I'll pay her [the landlady] what I owe her, and give her warning to-morrow morning. 1872 Punch 6 Apr. 141/2 Mary Dishley gave her mistress warning: no fault to find with her place, but wanted a change. 1884 Ibid. 22 Nov. 246 Cook, I give you a Month's Warning from To-day. 1886 J. Barrowman Sc. Mining Terms 70 Warning, notice, given or received, of a workman leaving his employment. |
| fig. 1828 Scott Aunt Marg. Mirror Introd., A little group of trees, that still grace the eastern end,..have just received warning to quit, expressed by a daub of white paint. |
† 7. Previous notice of being called upon to perform some duty.
Obs.| 1459 Rolls of Parlt. V. 369/2 He had..a commaundement fro youre Highnes, to be redy to come..with his said fel[y]ship, upon a day warning. 1477 Ibid. VI. 194/2 To be redy in harnays within an Houre warnyng. 1549 Thomas Hist. Italie 74 b, For there [at the Arsenal of Venice] they haue well neere two hundred galleys in suche an ordre, that vpon a verie small warnyng they maie be furnisshed out vnto the sea. 1554–5 in Feuillerat Revels Q. Mary (1914) 170 In a redines to serve vpon further warnynge. 1556 Ld. Wharton in Lodge Illustr. Brit. Hist. (1791) I. 220, I called the gentilmen, freholders, and rulers of men, and declared unto them the Quenes Matie's comaundement for their servyse, and reddynes upon an hower's warnyng. 1759 Robertson Hist. Scot. I. iii. 256 For this purpose she summoned him to appear before her on a short warning. |
† 8. a. Intimation, notification of a fact or a present occurrence.
to give warning of: to call attention to.
Obs.| c 1386 Chaucer Can. Yeom. Prol. 40 Sires, now in the morwe tyde, Out of youre hostelrie I saugh you ryde And warned heer my lord,..Which to ryden with yow is ful fayn..Frend, for thy warnyng god yeue thee chance. 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. ii. i. (1495) 27 By warnyng of angels men knowe goddis wyl & so angels is a name of offyce & not of kynde. 1449 Pecock Repr. i. xvi. 89 If of this consideracioun no mensioun and waarnyng were bi me or bi sum other in writing bifore mad. c 1480 Robt. Devyll 787 in Hazl. E.E.P. I. 250 And whan thy synnes be cleane forgeuen the, By an Aungell god wyll sende the warnynge. 1611 Bible Transl. Pref. ¶17 Many other things we might giue thee warning of (gentle Reader) if wee had not exceeded the measure of a Preface alreadie. |
† b. a by warning: a private hint or prompting to do something.
Obs.| 1542 Udall Erasm. Apoph. 25 When..his familiar coumpaignions gaue hym a by warnynge to auenge suche a naughtie touche..with his tenne comaundementes: gayly saied [etc.]. |
† c. A notice or signal that a certain hour has come, or that it is time to do something.
Obs.| 1389 in Eng. Gilds (1870) 7 Alle þe breþeren schulle be redy at here warnynge. c 1566 J. Alday tr. Boaystuau's Theat. World S 3, A Diall, the which..gave warning with a stroke unto him that did weare it of everie houre. 1573 J. Sandford Hours Recr. (1576) 67 The swallowe againe giveth them warning to go away. 1597 Shakes. 2 Hen. IV, iv. iii. 117 The sherris..illuminateth the Face, which (as a Beacon) giues warning to all the rest of this little Kingdom (Man) to Arme. 1633 B. Jonson Tale Tub i. vi, He sat up at Play, and watch'd the Cock, Till his first warning chid him off to rest. 1687 A. Lovell tr. Thevenot's Trav. i. 162 These Timbrels..serve not only to chear up the Camels..but also to give warning to those that stay behind. 1821 J. Baillie Metr. Leg., Malcolm's Heir liv, And aye, when the midnight warning sounds, He hastens his beads to tell. |
† 9. A summons, command for attendance.
Obs.| a 1425 Cursor M. 16022 (Trin.) Mony gedered of þe toun bi certeyn warnynge [otherwise in earlier texts]. 1461 Paston Lett. II. 3 If this Lords above wayte aftyr more pepill in this cuntre, be lyklyness it woll not be easy to get with owt a newe comission and warnyng. c 1495 Hen. VII in Ellis Orig. Lett. Ser. i. I. 21 We praye you herein ye wol make suche delegens as that ye be redy with your said nombre to come unto us uppon any our sodein warnyng. 1496 Cov. Leet. Bk. 573 The Craft shall mete on seynt Anne day..and what persones þat be absent þat day vppon warnyng shall pay xij d. 1509 Reg. Privy Seal Scot. I. 271/2 He..durst nocht cum to the said burgh to hald the said court without warnyng, support and supple of his frendis. 1600 Child-Marriages 173 That the said Pattrick shalbe ready to appeare within xij howres before the said maior, vppon warninge geuen at any of the houses of the said Roberte Bennett & Randle Ince. 1623 Cockeram ii, A Warning to appeare to a court. Citation. 1784 Acts & Laws Connecticut 179 A Copy of this Paragraph of this Act,..published on the Sign-Post in said Town..at least three Days before said second Monday of March next, shall be a legal Warning of the Freemen of said City to attend said first meeting. 1792 N. Chipman Rep. (1871) 10 It does not appear that the warning for the proprietor's meeting was published according to law. |
† 10. The action of advertising (lost property).
| c 1610 in Heriot's Mem. App. vii. (1822) 218 To the gold⁓smith's officer for warning of her Majestie's diamond, which was lost at Salisburie, 6s. 8d. |
† 11. Law.
= garnishment.
Obs.| 1579 Expos. Terms Law 98 b, Warninge is when an actyon of detinue of charters is brought against one, & the defendant saieth, y{supt} the charters were deliuered to him by the plaintife, and by an other vpon certein conditions and praiethe y{supt} the other may be warned to pleade with the plaintife whether the conditions be performed or noe, and therevppon a write of Scire facias shall goe forthe against him. |
12. attrib. and
Comb., as
warning light;
warning-giver;
† warning-arrow (
cf. warning-gun);
warning bell, (
a) a bell for giving alarm of fire or invasion; (
b) a bell announcing the imminent departure of a vessel; (
c) a bell alerting people to prepare for a meal, etc.; (
d)
fig., an alarm-bell sounded ‘in the head’, giving a presentiment of danger;
warning gong rare = dressing-gong s.v. dressing vbl. n. 5 a;
warning-gun, a gun sounded as an alarm or announcement;
warning-lever Horology, the lever that sets in motion the warning-wheel;
warning-pipe , an overflow pipe serving to show when a cistern is too full;
warning triangle, a triangular red frame carried by motorists, and set up on the road as a danger signal to warn approaching drivers of the proximity of a broken-down vehicle or other hazard;
warning-wheel Horology, the wheel that produces the ‘warning’ (see 5 b). Also
warning-piece.
| 1628 Feltham Resolves ii. xii. 30 The sight of vice in others, is like a *warning-Arrow, shot, for vs to take heed. |
| 1511 Pilton Churchw. Acc. (Som. Rec. Soc.) 61 Item for the *warnyng bell and iiij polysse, iis. viii{supd}. 1591 Shakes. 1 Hen. VI, iv. ii. 39 Harke, harke, the Dolphins drumme, a warning bell, Sings heauy Musicke to thy timorous soule. a 1592 Lodge & Greene Looking Gl. (1598) D 4, Foresee in time, the warning bell doth towle. 1606 Day Ile of Gulls i. i. B 1, I heare the warning bell, some strangers are ariued. 1849 Dickens Dav. Copp. (1850) xxi. 212 The warning-bell will ring at nine; the family take breakfast at halfpast nine. 1853 Kingsley Hypatia xxi, Having disposed his sentinels, [he] took his station on the top of his tower, close by the warning-bell. 1864 G. A. Lawrence Maurice Dering II. 233 The ‘Tigris’ was on the point of getting under way, and the first warning-bell had rung. 1951 E. Coxhead One Green Bottle vii. 202 Somewhere, right at the back of her head, there rang a little warning bell. 1951 Publ. Amer. Dial. Soc. xvi. 68 Warning bell, a signal made to warn that it is time to saddle the horses entered in the next race. 1981 S. Brett Situation Tragedy ii. 26 ‘I'll join you.’ Something rang warning bells for Charles. ‘Well, no.’ 1984 Times 5 June 23 (heading) Another warning bell for the secretaries. |
| 1577 B. Googe Heresbach's Husb. iv. 166 The best watchmen, and also the best *warning geuers in the nyght tyme. |
| 1938 D. Smith Dear Octopus iii. i. 116 Ring the *warning gong, will you, dear? |
| 1830 James Darnley xxxviii. III. 251 The *warning gun was fired from the castle of Guisnes, giving notice that the King of England was ready to set out. |
| 1884 F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 219 The rack pulls over the hour *warning lever. |
| 1937 Motor Catal. (East London Rubber Co. Ltd.) 131 Ignition replacements..*warning lights. 1962 Which? Car Suppl. Oct. 130/2 The Fiat 1500 had a particularly comprehensive array of warning lights, including lights to show when choke, side lights and hand brake were in use. 1972 J. Aiken Butterfly Picnic i. 6 The encircling mountains outlined by small red warning lights. 1974 ‘W. Haggard’ Kinsmen xiii. 126 The warning lights were out and flashing. Her mother had some absurd new plan. |
| 1833 Loudon Encycl. Archit. §1808 To put a half-inch *warning-pipe from the cistern to a convenient place near the pump. |
| 1971 Good Motoring Sept. 23/3 It is essential for motorists to carry *warning triangles for use in case of accident or breakdown. |
| 1696 W. Derham Artif. Clock-m. i. 6 The next is the Third, or Fourth-Wheel, (according as it is distant from the First-Wheel) called also the *Warning-Wheel. 1884 F. J. Britten Watch & Clockm. 249 The last wheel of the striking train, called the warning wheel. |
▪ II. † ˈwarning, vbl. n.2 Obs. [OE. *wiernung, wærnung, f. wiernan warn v.2 See -ing1.] Refusal, denial.
| c 1000 Laws of Athelstan ii. iii. (Lieberm.) 152 Be rihtes wærnunge. Se hlaford se rihtes wyrne ond for his yfelan mon licge. a 1225 Ancr. R. 330 He ne mei uor reouðe wernen hire, ne sweamen hire heorte mid wernunge. c 1330 Arth. & Merl. 5522 Ac þat þou graunt ous now a þing, & þer of no make werning. 13.. Gaw. & Gr. Knt. 2253 Bot styȝtel þe vpon on strok, & I schal stonde stylle, & warp þe no wernyng, to worch as þe lykez, no whare. a 1366 Chaucer Rom. Rose 1142 For al his purpos..Was for to make greet dispense, Withouten werning or defence. 1375 Barbour Bruce xvi. 260 Thai fand nane that thame varnyng maid. c 1420 Wyntoun Cron. iii. viii. 977 Þar sulde be made hym na warnynge Off qwhat thynge he made askynge. 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. xvi. 380 That preestis and othere clerkis mowen weel with⁓oute weernyng of Holi Scripture..be endewid with temporal and vnmouable godis. Ibid. v. v. 506 Summe comaundementis of God ben negatyues, that is to seie, weernyngis or forbodis. |
▪ III. warning, ppl. a. (
ˈwɔːnɪŋ)
[f. warn v.1 + -ing2.] That warns, in senses of the verb.
| 1552 Huloet, Warnynge, or geuynge warnynge, monitorius. 1796 Scott Wild Huntsm. ix, To-day the Warning Spirit hear, To-morrow thou mayst mourn in vain. 1810 ― Lady of L. iii. i, The warning note. 1840 Dickens Old C. Shop lxvii, The warning lights and fires upon the river were powerless beneath this pall [of fog]. 1857 Livingstone Trav. xxiv. 476 note, A deluging shower, which began without warning-drops. 1891 Farrar Darkn. & Dawn xiii, She raised her hand with a warning gesture. |
b. spec. in
Biol. of coloration or other distinctive marks found in caterpillars, etc.
| 1869 J. J. Weir in Trans. Entom. Soc. i. 21 The birds were deceived into tasting them [sc. the larvae] because the characteristic warning hairs were undeveloped. 1877 A. R. Wallace in Macm. Mag. XXXVI. 396 Theory of Protective Colours... Theory of Warning Colours—These differ greatly from the last class, inasmuch as they present us with a variety of brilliant hues, [etc.]. 1887 Poulton in Proc. Zool. Soc. 194 Instances of very distasteful species which have no warning colours, but, on the other hand, are well disguised by protective tints and markings. |