caution to snakes
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Something bizarre or astonishing.
Register: archaic, slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
I am crammed full of faults, I'm a mass of mistakes / So stupid, in fact, that you'd deem me half-witted; / But though in my way I'm a "caution to snakes," / I think I'm a party who ought to be pitied.
Usage example from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “caution to snakes” mean?
Something bizarre or astonishing.
Is “caution to snakes” formal or informal?
caution to snakes is generally archaic, slang.