Adjacent Words

Precaution definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

PRECAU'TION,n. [L. precautus, proecaveo; proe, before,and caveo, to take care.] Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good in possession.
PRECAU'TION, v.t. To warn or advise beforehand for preventing mischief or securing good.

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2005)

n
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: precaution, 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, precaution, care, forethought]

Merriam Webster's

noun Etymology: French précaution, from Late Latin praecaution-, praecautio, from Latin praecav?re to guard against, from prae- + cav?re to be on one's guard — more at hear Date: 1603 1. care taken in advance ; foresight <warned of the need for precaution> 2. a measure taken beforehand to prevent harm or secure good ; safeguard <take the necessary precautions> • precautionary adjective

Oxford Reference Dictionary

n. 1 an action taken beforehand to avoid risk or ensure a good result. 2 (in pl.) colloq. the use of contraceptives. Derivatives: precautionary adj. Etymology: F précaution f. LL praecautio -onis f. L praecavere (as PRAE-, cavere caut- beware of)

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Precaution Pre*cau"tion, n. [F. pr['e]cation, L. praecautio, fr. praecavere, praecautum, to guard against beforehand; prae before + cavere be on one's guard. See Pre-, and Caution.] 1. Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent mischief or secure good; as, his life was saved by precaution. They [ancient philosophers] treasured up their supposed discoveries with miserable precaution. --J. H. Newman. 2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act; as, to take precautions against accident.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Precaution Pre*cau"tion, v. t. [Cf. F. pr['e]cautionner.] 1. To warn or caution beforehand. --Locke.

Collin's Cobuild Dictionary

(precautions) A precaution is an action that is intended to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening. Could he not, just as a precaution, move to a place of safety?... Extra safety precautions are essential in homes where older people live. N-COUNT

Soule's Dictionary of English Synonyms

n. 1. Forethought, foresight, timely care, prudence, providence, circumspection, wariness, care. 2. Premunition, prior measure, preventive measure, provision.

Moby Thesaurus

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