Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

▸  warn off PHRASAL VERB If you warn someone off , you tell them to go away or to stop doing something because of possible danger or punishment. □ [V n P ] The police warned the intruder off. □ [V n P n] The band's management have warned them off late nights. [Also V n P v-ing, V P n]

warn|ing ◆◇◇ /wɔː ^r n I ŋ/ (warnings )

1 N‑COUNT [oft N that, N to-inf] A warning is something which is said or written to tell people of a possible danger, problem, or other unpleasant thing that might happen. □  The minister gave a warning that if war broke out, it would be catastrophic. □ [+ for ] The week's second severe weather warning for heavy rain was issued yesterday.

2 N‑VAR [oft without N ] A warning is an advance notice of something that will happen, often something unpleasant or dangerous. □  The soldiers opened fire without warning. □  With no warning, he was fired from his job.

3 ADJ [ADJ n] Warning actions or signs give a warning. □  She ignored the warning signals. □  Some fog warning signs had been put up with flashing yellow lights. COLLOCATIONS warning NOUN 1

noun + warning : health, safety; flood, travel, weather; government

adjective + warning : dire, stark, stern; repeated

verb + warning : give, issue, sound; heed, ignore SYNONYMS warning NOUN 1

threat:He may be forced to carry out his threat to resign.

caution:There was a note of caution for the Treasury in the figures.

alarm:The other man rang the alarm bell.

alert:Due to a security alert, this train will not be stopping at Oxford Circus.

omen:Her appearance at this moment is an omen of disaster.

wa r of ne rves N‑SING A war of nerves is a conflict in which the opposing sides try to make each other feel less confident. □ [+ between ] …the continuing war of nerves between the army and the leadership.

warp /wɔː ^r p/ (warps , warping , warped )

1 VERB If something warps or is warped , it becomes damaged by bending or curving, often because of the effect of heat or water. □ [V ] The firm makes floors that won't shrink or warp. □ [V n] It should have prevented rain water warping the door trim.

2 VERB If something warps someone's character, it damages them or it influences them in a bad way. □ [V n] I never had any toys, my father thought that they would warp my personal values. □ [V n] Their lives have been warped by war.

3 N‑COUNT [n N ] A warp in time or space is an imaginary break or sudden change in the normal experience of time or space. □  The house retains much of its original detailing without being stuck in a time warp.

4 N‑SING In weaving, the warp is the threads which are held in a frame or machine called a loom while another thread is passed across through them. Compare weft .

wa r paint also warpaint N‑UNCOUNT War paint is the paint which some groups of people used to decorate their faces and bodies before they fought a battle.

war|path /wɔː ^r pɑːθ, -pæθ/ PHRASE If you say that someone is or has gone on the warpath , you mean that they are angry and getting ready for a fight or conflict. [INFORMAL ] □  I had warned the children that daddy was on the warpath.

war|plane /wɔː ^r ple I n/ (warplanes ) also war plane N‑COUNT A warplane is an aircraft that is designed to be used for fighting, for example to attack other aircraft or to drop bombs.

war|rant /wɒ rənt, [AM ] wɔː r-/ (warrants , warranting , warranted )