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Glite Dictionary
four-minute warning

four-minute warning

1 5.4
A short announcement people hear four minutes before an event ends to tell them to prepare
  • noun
translation icon : advertencia de cuatro minutos
  • The announcer gave a four-minute warning before the meeting was scheduled to start.

Examples

  • After the four-minute warning, everyone hurried to submit their answers.

  • The announcer gave a four-minute warning before the final round began.

  • The team used the four-minute warning to plan their final strategy.

  • The referee gave a four-minute warning before the match ended.

  • Did you hear the four-minute warning for the presentation?

  • We received a four-minute warning to prepare for the end of the concert.

  • Just before the game ended, the coach issued a four-minute warning to the players.

Synonyms

forewarning
vsfour-minute warning
3 5.6

A sign or notice that something bad will happen

is a brief preparatory alert given just before an ending rather than general caution
prenotification
vsfour-minute warning
7.0

A notice given before an event or change

is a very brief notice given just before an ending
prewarning
vsfour-minute warning
4.4

An advance notice that tells people about a possible danger

is a very short alert given just before an ending to prompt preparation
warning
vsfour-minute warning
1.0

Giving a sign or message that tells people about danger

is a short announcement immediately before an ending to prompt readiness

Surface Forms

four-minute warning singular
four-minute warnings plural

Morphology

four-minute + warning

The meaning 'an alert given four minutes before an event' is directly and transparently derived from 'four-minute' (a period of four minutes or occurring four minutes before) combined with 'warning' (an alert). This numeric-duration + noun composition is a standard, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows the constituent words should readily infer the MWE's meaning.

Etymology

The phrase four-minute warning comes from old announcements that told people there were only four minutes left before something important. It was a short warning to 'prepare', so today the phrase means a quick alert to get ready before the end of an event.