Caveat

I. Let him beware; let him take heed. A formal notice, or caution to a court, judge or public officer not to do a certain act, or not without notice to the caveator; as not to probate a will, grant letters of administration, issue letters patent for an invention or for lands, enroll a decree in chancery where an appeal is contemplated, etc., until the caveator can be heard in opposition to the contemplated act or proceeding. Caveat actor: let the doer beware. Caveat emptor: let the purchaser take care; which means that in the absence of warranty or special covenant the seller guarantees neither quality nor title; and it applies upon a sale of lands as well as upon a sale of goods; — qui ignorare non debnit quod jus alienum emit: let the purchaser take care, who ought not to be ignorant that he is buying another's right Caveat viator: let the traveler take care, — i. e., in detecting and avoiding defects in the way. Caveat vicecomes: let the sheriff beware. In the civil law. Caveat venditor: let the seller take heed; which means that a fair price upon sale of a chattel imports a warranty of quality as well as of title. Opposed to the rule of caveat emptor of the common law.