Origin: Germanic Old English prefix
Beware has 2 different meanings across 1 category:
To use caution, pay attention to (used both with and without of).
"Beware the slippery path ahead before you step onto it."
In plain English: Beware means to be careful about something dangerous that might happen soon.
"Beware of strangers who ask for money on the street."
Usage: Use beware as an imperative command or in the phrase be wary, avoiding it when you simply mean to be careful about something specific. It is often followed directly by a noun (beware dogs) rather than requiring the preposition of.
Beware comes from the Middle English phrase "be ware," which originally meant to be on one's guard or vigilant. The word traveled into modern usage by combining this sense of caution with a direct command structure, evolving from its earlier form bewar.