What does caution mean?
Word: Caution
Part of Speech: Noun
Meaning: Caution means great care that you take to stay safe or avoid mistakes.
Synonyms: care
How do you spell caution?
Syllables: cau - tion
Tricky part: The first sound is like 'caw', so children write aw or o after the c. The two letters there are a and u.
Watch out for: cawtion, cotion
Memory tip: Think of an auto driver slowing down with care at a crossing. The au of auto sits right after the c.
Idioms and Phrases
- throw caution to the wind: to do something without worrying about the risks Example: "Meena threw caution to the wind and spent all her pocket money on comics."
Caution in a sentence
Example 1: Walk with caution on the wet hill path.
Example 2: Aunt Lata opened the dusty old trunk with caution.
Example 3: The trainer told us to use caution when lifting the heavy mats.
Fun Fact
Caution comes from the Latin verb cavere, 'to take care'. English took another word from the same verb: caveat, a formal word for a warning.
Practise the CREST Way
Spellacadabra
Choose the correct option to make a meaningful word:
cau____
a) shun
b) tion
c) cion
d) sion
Show answer
b) tion. This common ending is the one in station and lotion.
Word Fusion
Add the correct option to the following to make a new word:
_____caution
a) pre
b) pro
c) per
d) pri
Show answer
a) pre. Pre means before, so a precaution is a step you take before anything can go wrong.
Spell Spies
Choose the pair which has a spelling error:
a) danger : dangerous
b) caution : cautious
c) courage : courageous
d) humour : humorus
Show answer
d) humour : humorus. The adjective from humour needs a different ending, spelt as in famous; the other three pairs are correct.
Word Champ
Which of the words cannot be made using the letters in the given word?
caution
a) cotton
b) tunic
c) coat
d) count
Show answer
a) cotton. Cotton needs a second t and a second o, which the given word does not have.
Multiple Choice Questions
1. Which of these shows caution?
a) reading a book while you walk
b) leaving your bag on the road
c) looking both ways at a crossing
d) running down the stairs in a hurry
Show answer
c) looking both ways at a crossing
2. A sign at the school gate says 'Caution: wet paint'. What should you do?
a) paint the gate a new colour
b) keep your hands off the gate
c) wait for the rain to stop
d) open the gate very quickly
Show answer
b) keep your hands off the gate
