stern warning
5
3.4
- noun
- /stɜrn ˈwɔrnɪŋ/
:
advertencia severa
- The teacher gave the student a stern warning about the consequences of his behavior.
- issue a stern warning
Examples
-
The older of the two Bush First Ladies also issued a stern warning to the more.
Blog text (26) -
Many Republicans don't prepare for disaster or leave when Mother Nature issues a stern warning, nor do Democrats.
Blog text (21) -
I'm gonna let you go with a stern warning this time.
-
Should the raiders be released after a stern warning?
Academic text (2003) -
Then Liberty flashed a stern warning.
Fiction book (1993) -
I do believe I'm on the point of issuing a stern warning to him on the perils of drug abuse.
-
Accordingly, between January and May of 1990, the Indian political leadership issued a series of stern warnings and veiled threats to the Pakistanis.
Academic text (1997) -
A new paper by James Hansen has just been published in the prestigious journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and it contains a stern warning that humanity must act now to avert climate disaster.
Blog text (17) -
The United Nations recently issued a stern warning regarding the excessive use of nitrogen in agriculture: "We are fertilizing the Earth on a global scale and in a largely uncontrolled experiment." Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for crop production.
Academic text (2000) -
Frost teaches parents several different disciplinary techniques that involve similar verbal patterns of clear rules, stern warnings for bad behavior, explanations of reasons for punishment, and positive encouragement for good behavior.
Academic text (2013)
Synonyms
58
1.6
Words that warn people to avoid danger or bad behavior
24
6.1
A formal complaint from someone in charge about bad behaviour
17
7.4
A warning or advice to stop someone from doing something wrong
4
7.0
A firm warning that tells someone to change their behavior
A strong warning telling someone to be careful
Giving a sign or message that tells people about danger
Antonyms
How Serious
Surface Forms
Morphology
The phrase 'stern warning' is a straightforward adjective + noun composition where 'stern' (firm, uncompromising) modifies 'warning' (a message alerting to danger), so the combined meaning is directly derivable from the parts. This construction is cross-linguistically common and follows normal English compositional patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words will readily understand it.
Etymology
Stern warning comes from the image of a person with a hard, serious face—a stern person—giving a strong warning. That hard look and firm words made the warning feel very serious, so today it means 'a firm and serious warning'.