An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure


A little precaution before a crisis occurs is preferable to a lot of fixing up afterward. (See also A stitch in time saves nine.)

Words Nearby An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

The New Dictionary of Cultural Literacy, Third Edition Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Other Idioms and Phrases with An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

It is easier to forestall a disaster than to deal with it. For example, The new law makes all children under twelve wear bicycle helmets—an ounce of prevention. This ancient proverb is first recorded in Latin in Henry de Bracton's De Legibus (c. 1240) and has been repeated ever since, often in shortened form.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.