caveat

ca·ve·at

Use caveat in a sentence

noun

The definition of a caveat is a warning.

An example of caveat is a police officer telling someone to stop or they'll shoot.

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"caveat." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat>.

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caveat. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat

caveat

Law a formal notice that an interested party files with the proper legal authorities, directing them to refrain from an action until the party can be heard
a warning

Origin of caveat

L, let him beware; 3d person; personal (grammar) singular , present tense subject, subjective , of cavere, to beware, take heed: see hear

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"caveat." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat>.

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caveat. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat

caveat

noun

a. A warning or caution: made a recommendation with many caveats.
b. A qualification or explanation.
Law A formal notice filed by an interested party requesting postponement of a court proceeding or other action until the filer can be heard.

verb

ca·ve·at·ed, ca·ve·at·ing, ca·ve·ats, or ca·ve·at·ted ca·ve·at·ting

verb

intransitive Law

To submit a caveat.

verb

transitive

Law To make a caveat to (a will, for example).
Informal To qualify with a warning or clarification: The spokesperson caveated the statement with a reminder that certain facts were still unknown.

Origin of caveat

From Latin let him beware third person sing. present subjunctive of cavēre to beware

Related Forms:

cav′e·a·tor
noun

THE AMERICAN HERITAGE® DICTIONARY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE, FIFTH EDITION by the Editors of the American Heritage Dictionaries. Copyright © 2016, 2011 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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MLA Style

"caveat." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat>.

APA Style

caveat. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat

Noun

(plural caveats)

a warning
a qualification or exemption
He gave his daughter some hyacinth bulbs with the caveat that she plant them in the shade.
(law) a notice requesting a postponement of a court proceeding
(law) a formal notice of interest in land, under a Torrens land-title system

Verb

(third-person singular simple present caveats, present participle caveating, simple past and past participle caveated)

To qualify a particular statement with a proviso or caveat
(law) To lodge a formal notice of interest in land, under a Torrens land-title system
(law, dated) To issue a notice requesting that proceedings be suspended
1825, John Jamieson, Supplement to the Etymological Dictionary of the Scottish Language, volume 1, page 210:
This last expression minds me to caveat the Reader, not to be angry at Helebore because it's called Christmas flowre; […]

Usage notes

The modern use of "caveat" as a verb meaning "to qualify with a proviso" is often considered awkward or improper. This usage is strongly associated with former US Secretary of State Alexander Haig.
1. 1981, Jim Quinn, “Lingo”, The Nation:
  Brzezinski never used caveat as a verb. Does that make him better than Haig?
2. 1993, Robert McCrum et al., The Story of English, edition 2002 ed., page 43:
  Some years ago, General Alexander Haig […] was widely criticized (parodied) for using nouns as verbs in a highly idiosyncratic way, known as Haigspeak: phrases like 'I'll have to caveat my response, Senator, and I'll caveat that', […] From one point of view, however, Haig was merely displaying the virtuosity of English, if not its grace.
3. 2003, William A. McIntosh, Guide to Effective Military Writing, page 59:
  Using words such as "caveat," "resource," and "interface" as verbs is not only poor style, but also poor usage. They are nouns, not verbs, and they shouldn't be used as if they were.

Origin

From the Latin verb form caveat (“he may beware of”), from caveō (“I beware of”).

English Wiktionary. Available under CC-BY-SA license.

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MLA Style

"caveat." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat>.

APA Style

caveat. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat

caveat - Legal Definition

Latin

Let him or her beware.
An admonition, caution, or warning.
A formal notice or warning given by a party to a judge or other court officer concerning his or her behavior and requesting a suspension of the proceeding until the merits of the notice or warning are determined.
A formal notice to a court or public official that the notifier has an interest in a matter or property and requests the suspension of some procedure or proceeding concerning the matter or property until the notifier is given a hearing.

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MLA Style

"caveat." YourDictionary, n.d. Web. 07 December 2018. <https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat>.

APA Style

caveat. (n.d.). Retrieved December 07th, 2018, from https://www.yourdictionary.com/Caveat

caveat

caveat

caveat

caveat - Legal Definition

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caveat

caveat

caveat

caveat - Legal Definition

Sentence Examples

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Words near caveat in the dictionary

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