err on the side of caution

[er on thuh sahyd uhv kaw-shuhn, ur]

idiom

1. to reduce risk by planning or acting more carefully than might seem absolutely necessary.

   Budget for all your known expenses, but err on the side of caution by also allowing funds for unforeseen circumstances.

   Sorry, but I removed your image from the thread—it’s probably not offensive, but I always err on the side of caution with such things.

Word History and Origins

Origin of err on the side of caution¹

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

Now there is a trend to err on the side of caution.

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"We're a week away from the Test series - always err on the side of caution," said Cummins.

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Many people living outside the evacuation zone in Fukushima decided to err on the side of caution, too.

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Leaders’ first instinct was to err on the side of caution.

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McLaren had to err on the side of caution, and it inevitably cost them performance.

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