Word
precaution
Phoneticspre·cau·tion, stress on the second syllable
US/pɹiˈkɔʃən/
UK/pɹɪkˈɔːʃən/
Definitions
01safety measure
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. an action you take before something happens to prevent danger or trouble.
n. a measure taken in advance to ward off potential danger, failure, or injury.
“We took the precaution of locking all the windows before we left for our holiday.”
“As a standard safety precaution, all laboratory personnel are required to wear protective eyewear regardless of the specific experiment being conducted.”
Antonyms
02carefulness
C1 · Advanced Uncountable noun Formal
n. the quality of being careful and thinking about the future to avoid mistakes.
n. the state or quality of employing caution beforehand to prevent misfortune.
“He acted with great precaution when handling the fragile old documents.”
“The surgeon proceeded with extreme precaution, aware that the slightest tremor could damage the surrounding nerve tissue.”
Antonyms
03to warn
C2 · Proficiency Archaic · Formal
v. to warn someone about a danger before it happens.
v. to warn or caution a person in advance of a potential risk.
“The captain precautioned the crew about the approaching storm.”
“The legal advisor precautioned the board members against making any public statements before the contract was officially signed.”
Usage
takes a direct object, often followed by 'against' or 'about'
Synonyms
Real-World Examples
“Even though it may appear that the danger is over, you still need to take precautions.” “It adds that if people are evacuated as a precaution and the property has not been damaged, temporary accommodation is typically arranged through the local authority.” “Still, as a precaution while training these models, termed Evo 1 and Evo 2, the researchers did not provide them with any sequences from viruses that target complex cells.” Etymology
From French précaution, Latin praecautio, from praecavere, praecautum (“to guard against beforehand”); prae (“before”) + cavere (“be on one's guard”). See pre-, and caution.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
NOUN
ADJECTIVE
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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