[f. WARN v.1 + -ING2.] That warns, in senses of the verb.
1552. Huloet, Warnynge, or geuynge warnynge, monitorius.
1796. Scott, Wild Huntsm., ix. To-day the Warning Spirit hear, To-morrow thou mayst mourn in vain. Ibid. (1810), Lady of Lake, III. i. The warning note.
1840. Dickens, Old C. Shop, lxvii. The warning lights and fires upon the river were powerless beneath this pall [of fog].
1897. Livingstone, Trav., xxiv. 476, note. A deluging shower, which began without warning-drops.
1891. Farrar, Darkn. & Dawn, xiii. She raised her hand with a warning gesture.
b. spec. in Biol. of coloration or other distinctive marks found in caterpillars, etc.
1869. J. J. Weir, in Trans. Entom. Soc. Lond., I. 24. The birds were deceived into tasting them [sc. the larvæ], because the characteristic warning hairs were undeveloped.
1877. A. R. Wallace, in Macm. Mag., XXXVI. 396. Theory of Protective Colours…. Theory of Warning Colours.—These differ greatly from the last class, inasmuch as they present us with a variety of brilliant hues, [etc.].
1887. Poulton, in Proc. Zool. Soc., 194. Instances of very distasteful species which have no warning colours, but, on the other hand, are well disguised by protective tints and markings.
