precaution
Americannoun
-
a measure taken in advance to avert possible evil or to secure good results.
-
caution employed beforehand; prudent foresight.
- Synonyms:
- circumspection, prudence, forethought
verb (used with object)
noun
-
an action taken to avoid a dangerous or undesirable event
-
caution practised beforehand; circumspection
Usage
What does precaution mean? A precaution is an action taken in advance to prevent something negative from happening or to lessen the impact of the negative thing if it does happen.This sense of precaution is often used with the verb take, as in take precautions or take every precaution. Precaution can also refer to caution in advance of something (which leads one to take such precautions).It can also be used as a verb meaning to warn. However, this is uncommon. The verb caution is more commonly used to mean this.Precaution has two adjective forms: precautious, meaning being careful by actively preparing to avoid something negative, and precautionary, which is used to describe things done as a precaution, as in precautionary measures. Example: Officials said they have taken every available precaution to secure the city in advance of the storm.
Other Word Forms
- precautionary adjective
- precautious adjective
- unprecautioned adjective
Etymology
Origin of precaution
First recorded in 1595–1605, precaution is from the Late Latin word praecautiōn- (stem of praecautiō ). See pre-, caution
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"As a precaution, production has briefly paused to allow her time to recover. We look forward to resuming production as soon as possible," they said.
From BBC
The probes follow concerns that important information, including warnings and precautions for cosmetics not intended for, or tested on, minors, might have been omitted or presented in a misleading manner, the Italian watchdog said.
Some theme parks in Dubai, including Legoland and Real Madrid World, have remained closed as a precaution.
"However, as a precaution and because the safety and wellbeing of our residents is our highest priority, we took the decision to vacate the building at the earliest opportunity," the group said.
From BBC
There are some precautions you can take before you head to the flower fields or the hiking trail.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
