Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Warn
Warn
(wa̤rn)
, Verb.
T.
To refuse.
[Written also
wern
, worn
.] [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Warn
,Verb.
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
. [GREEK][GREEK][GREEK][GREEK].] 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;
“Warned of the ensuing fight.” as, to
warn
a town meeting; to warn
a tenant to quit a house. Dryden.
Cornelius the centurion . . . was
warned
from God by an holy angel to send for thee. Acts x. 22.
Who is it that hath
warned
us to the walls? Shakespeare
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.
3.
To ward off.
[Obs.]
Spenser.
Webster 1828 Edition
Warn
WARN
,Verb.
T.
1.
To give notice of approaching or probable danger or evil, that it may be avoided; to caution against any thing that may prove injurious.Juturna warns the Daunian chief of Lausus danger-- being warned of God in a dream, that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way. Matthew 2.
2.
To caution against evil practices. 1 Thessalonians 5.3.
To admonish of any duty.Cornelius--was warned from God by an holy angel to send for thee. Acts 10.
4.
To inform previously; to give notice to.--Warnd of th ensuing fight.
5.
To notify by authority; to summon; as, to warn the citizens to meet on a certain day; to warn soldiers to appear on parade.6.
To ward off. [Not in use.]