warns

Warns is the third-person singular present tense of the verb warn, meaning to inform someone of a danger, risk, or impending consequence, or to advise that a rule may be violated. The noun form is warning; plural usage for warnings is more common, but warns appears routinely as a verb (for example, "The moderator warns the user.").

In legal and regulatory contexts, a warning is an official notice that a person or organization has violated a standard or law, often preceding formal penalties. Warnings may be issued verbally or in writing and may specify required corrective actions and timelines.

In workplaces and safety programs, warnings are part of disciplinary systems. They may be verbal (informal) or written (formal), and repeated warnings can lead to more serious measures such as suspension or dismissal, depending on policy.

In online communities, warnings are used by moderators to document rule violations and inform users about consequences. Accumulated warnings often contribute to escalating actions, such as temporary suspensions or account restrictions, under platform policies.

Etymology: warn derives from Old English warnian and is cognate with German warnen; the noun warning stems from the same root in the 13th century. The term remains common across contexts as a means to communicate risk or noncompliance and to guide corrective action.