different between caution vs assiduity

English

Etymology

Recorded since 1297 as Middle English caucioun (“bail, guarantee, pledge”), from Old French caution (“security, surety”), itself from Latin cauti?, from cautus, past participle of cave?, cav?re (“be on one's guard”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) enPR: kôshn, IPA^(key): /?k???(?)n/
• (US) enPR: käshn, kôshn, IPA^(key): /?k???(?)n/, /?k??(?)n/
• (cot–caught merger, Inland Northern American) enPR: käshn, IPA^(key): /?k??n?/
• Rhymes: -????n

Noun

caution (countable and uncountable, plural cautions)

1. Precept or warning against evil or danger of any kind; exhortation to wariness; advice; injunction; prudence in regard to danger; provident care
2. A careful attention to the probable effects of an act, in order that failure or harm may be avoided

   The guideline expressed caution against excessive radiographic imaging.

3. Security; guaranty; bail.
4. (dated) One who draws attention or causes astonishment by their behaviour.

   Oh, that boy, he's a caution! He does make me laugh.

5. (law) A formal warning given as an alternative to prosecution in minor cases.
6. (soccer) A yellow card.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:caution

Hyponyms

• precaution

Derived terms

• cautionary
• cautious

Related terms

• caveat
• err on the side of caution
• throw caution to the wind

Translations

Verb

caution (third-person singular simple present cautions, present participle cautioning, simple past and past participle cautioned)

1. (transitive) To warn; to alert, advise that caution is warranted.
2. (soccer) To give a yellow card

Translations

Anagrams

• auction, tauonic

French

Etymology

From Old French caution, borrowed from Latin cauti?, cauti?nem, from cautus, past participle of cave?, cav?re (“be on one's guard”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ko.sj??/

Noun

caution f (plural cautions)

1. caution, guaranty, bail
2. deposit
3. security deposit

Derived terms

• cautionnement m
• cautionner

Further reading

• “caution” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Anagrams

• couinât

Norman

Etymology

From Old French caution, borrowed from Latin cauti?, cauti?nem.

Noun

caution f (plural cautions)

1. (Jersey) deposit
2. (Jersey, law) bail

English

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “See assiduus”)

Noun

assiduity (countable and uncountable, plural assiduities)

1. Great and persistent toil or effort.
   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

   • 1845, Jordan Roche Lynch, The Hunterian Oration (page 8)

     With the most patient assiduity he peered into the intricacies of unrevealed structure. No object was too minute, none too large, for his attention.
2. (in the plural) Constant personal attention, solicitous care.
   • 1559, translated by Thomas Paynell: Erasmus, The Complaint of Peace (1521)

     With difficulty could man be born into the world, or as soon as born would he die, leaving life at the very threshold of existence, unless the friendly hand of the careful matron, and the affectionate assiduities of the nurse, lent their aid to the helpless babe.

   • 1773, Oliver Goldsmith, She Stoops to Conquer

     I will stay even contrary to your wishes; and though you should persist to shun me, I will make my respectful assiduities atone for the levity of my past conduct.

Translations