Caveat

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Dr. Goodword
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Caveat

Postby Dr. Goodword » Mon Sep 27, 2021 8:02 pm

• caveat •


Pronunciation: kæ-vi-êt • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: 1. A caution, a qualification, a proviso of an understanding. 2. (Law) A legal notice requesting a postponement of a court proceeding until an interested party can be heard.

Notes: This word is famous for its participation in the expression caveat emptor "let the purchaser beware". It is a lexical orphan except for caveator, used in court only, i.e., in the second meaning above.

In Play: Here is a sentence with an example of a caveat: "Eating healthy is possible for everyone with the caveat that healthy food must be available in their locale." We may express the potential damage done by caveats like this: "Doug hedged his claim in so many caveats as to render it moot."

Word History: Today's Good Word is the 3rd person singular present subjunctive of Latin cavere "to beware, take heed", which meant "may s/he or it beware". Latin inherited cavere from PIE (s)keu-/(s)kou- "to perceive, be mindful of", source also of Sanskrit kavih "wise; seer", Latin cautio(n) "care, foresight" and cautus "careful", and Greek kudos "glory, fame". We also see evidence of it in Serbian čuti "to hear" and čuvati "save, store, look out for", and Russian čuyat' "to sense, smell". The Germanic languages used the Fickle S, as seen in scour and German schön "beautiful, good-looking". (Now let's give a thankful thought without caveats to newcomer Arnaldo Mandel for spotting the interest in today's Good Word and sharing it with us.)
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bnjtokyo
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Re: Caveat

Postby bnjtokyo » Fri Dec 08, 2023 7:44 pm

I came across this use of "caveat" as a verb in The Guardian

Solomonov has publicly sought to caveat his support for Israel. “I personally believe in the right of Palestinians to have their own state, and the right for self-determination, and I don’t deny those things,” he said at an event last month in New Jersey, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer. “And I believe the Israeli government oftentimes does things that I would not do at all … and it can be quite damaging.”

Although most dictionaries say "caveat" is a noun, the Wikitionary recognizes the possibility of a verbal use:

▸ verb: (transitive, regarded by some as nonstandard) To qualify a statement with a caveat or proviso.

I certainly surprised to see "caveat" as a verb, and I didn't understand what the writer meant to say until I read the additional quotations from Mr Solomonov.

George Kovac
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Re: Caveat

Postby George Kovac » Fri Dec 08, 2023 10:20 pm

I came across this use of "caveat" as a verb in The Guardian
Nice catch. Thanks.
"Every battle of ideas is fought on the terrain of language." Zia Haider Rahman, New York Times 4/8/2016


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