Dictionary Definition
precaution
Noun
1 a precautionary measure warding off impending
danger or damage or injury etc.; "he put an ice pack on the injury
as a precaution"; "an insurance policy is a good safeguard"; "we
let our guard down" [syn: safeguard, guard]
2 the trait of practicing caution in
advance
3 judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger; "he
exercised caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with
care" [syn: caution,
care, forethought]
User Contributed Dictionary
English
Etymology
pr['e]cation, praecautio, from praecavere, praecautum, to guard against beforehand; prae (before) + cavere (be on one's guard). See pre-, and caution.Noun
- Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to
prevent mischief or secure good; as, his life was saved by
precaution.
- The ancient philosophers treasured up their supposed discoveries with miserable precaution. --J. H. Newman.
- A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act; as, to take precautions against accident.
Translations
Previous caution or care
- Indonesian: langkah pencegahan
A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or
secure good or success
- Finnish: varotoimi, varokeino, varotoimenpide
Verb
- : To warn or caution beforehand. --Locke.
- : To take precaution against. [R.] --Dryden.
Translations
To warn or caution beforehand
To take precaution against
- Finnish: ryhtyä varotoimenpiteisiin
See also
Synonyms, Antonyms and Related Words
alertness, anticipation, apprehension, attention, canniness, care, caution, cautiousness, chariness, circumspection, cover, discreetness, discretion, escape, forearming, forebode, forehandedness, foresight, foresightedness,
forethought,
forethoughtfulness,
forewarn, give advance
notice, insurance,
measures, portend, precautions, precautiousness,
premonish, prenotify, preventive measure,
prewarn, protection, providence, provision, prudence, safeguard, steps, steps and measures, tell in
advance, vigilance,
wariness, watchfulness