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Beware of the man who agrees with all that you say: he wants your job!

BEWARE the man who agrees...

Beware the flashy car and the fashionable wife, the penurious misogynist said.

BEWARE OF the flashy car and the fashionable wife...

I know this question has been asked before here

Beware vs. beware of

but OP apparently did not find a conclusive answer, and after reading the whole discussion I am still not quite certain when or where to use 'beware of' and when to go with just 'beware.' Can somebody provide a 'rule of thumb' for this usage?

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  • Regardless of proper usage, "Beware the man who agrees" isn't nearly as frequently used in colloquial speech (at least in the US) as "Beware of".
    – GrammaRay
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 18:15
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    Little known fact: Caesar would still be alive today if "of" hadn't been left out of "Beware of the Ides of March".
    – fixer1234
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 19:58
  • @fixer1234 Thanks for the intriguing information; and I just love your statement 'Caesar would still be alive today (if...)' which, maybe unintentionally, reminds us: don't forget to have fun with the language! The word-picture of a still-alive, 2044-something-year-old Julio Cesar is not just admirable, but positively adorable for those who love language and its mysterious quirks!
    – English Student
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 21:45
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    @GrammaRay thank you; somebody did suggest that 'beware' without 'of' is more used by writers and dramatists, apparently to achieve a poetic or classical effect as in 'beware the cup of gold, O King, that it turn not into a poisoned chalice, methinks!'
    – English Student
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 21:51
  • Possible duplicate of Beware vs. beware of
    – AndyT
    Commented Nov 9, 2017 at 9:43

2 Answers 2

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I believe that both arrangements are acceptable modern grammar, however there are nuances that could affect the intent of the writer.

The word “beware” is a Middle English portmanteau or contraction of “be” and “aware”. Adding the predicate “of” indicates what should be of concern for this solicitation of awareness (e.g., “Beware of Greeks bearing gifts”).

When used as a single word, it becomes a call to action or command, as in “Beware: Dog”, as well as the simple exclamation, “Beware!”

In the sentence, “Beware the man who agrees with all that you say...”, the predicate is implied, however it may not be technically accurate to drop it.

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I believe it is "Beware of". The origin of the word "beware" comes from the middle English term "be ware". ware is a word that could mean merchandise or to be watchful, curious, or wary. and saying "be wary of" is the proper use of the word. "be wary of that man" not "be wary that man" as far as i know.

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    'Be wary of' is a good way to deconstruct the usage!
    – English Student
    Commented May 17, 2017 at 21:00

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