warn

B1 Topic:Actions & Processes

US /wɔɹn/ UK /wɔːn/ See IPA manual

Homophones

worn /wɔɹn/

Freq #2319

Meanings

1

verb
To tell someone about a possible danger or problem so they can avoid it.

The director warned them that they might be fired.
2

verb
To strongly advise someone not to do something.

I warned them not to go too far.
3

verb
To tell someone in advance that something is going to happen.

I warned you that I would ask some difficult questions.

Verb forms

Verb forms are not available for this word yet.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

2 verb · to strongly advise someone... admonish discourage

Word family

Forms warnedwarns

Derived forms forewarnwarnerwarning

Etymology

From Middle English warnen, warnien (“to warn; admonish”), from Old English warnian (“to take heed; warn”), from Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn; take heed”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to be aware; give heed”). Cognate with Dutch waarnen (obsolete), German Low German warnen, German warnen, Swedish varna, Icelandic varna.

warnen Middle English warnian Old English *warnōną Proto-Germanic *wer- Proto-Indo-European

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Actions & Processes

External links

# warn

**Type:** Word
**Level:** B1
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /wɔɹn/
**IPA (UK):** /wɔːn/
**Frequency rank:** 2319

## Meanings
1. To tell someone about a possible danger or problem so they can avoid it.
2. To strongly advise someone not to do something.
3. To tell someone in advance that something is going to happen.

## Examples
- The director warned them that they might be fired.
- I warned them not to go too far.
- I warned you that I would ask some difficult questions.

## Derived Forms
- forewarn
- warner
- warning

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: warnen
- Root: warnian
- Root: *warnōną
- Root: *wer-

## Etymology
From Middle English warnen, warnien (“to warn; admonish”), from Old English warnian (“to take heed; warn”), from Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn; take heed”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to be aware; give heed”). Cognate with Dutch waarnen (obsolete), German Low German warnen, German warnen, Swedish varna, Icelandic varna.

## AI Etymology
Warn is from Middle English warnen, warnien (“to warn; admonish”), from Old English warnian (“to take heed; warn”), from Proto-Germanic *warnōną (“to warn; take heed”), from Proto-Indo-European *wer- (“to be aware; give heed”). Cognate with Dutch waarnen (obsolete), German Low German warnen, German warnen, Swedish varna, Icelandic varna. Important historical forms include Middle English warnen, Old English warnian, Proto-Germanic *warnōną, and Proto-Indo-European *wer-. In present-day use, it can mean to tell someone about a possible danger or problem so they can avoid it, or to strongly advise someone not to do something.

## Topics
- Actions & Processes

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