# precaution

/pɹiˈkɔʃən/ (US) · /pɹɪkˈɔːʃən/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/precaution
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. safety measure

noun · CEFR B2

an action you take before something happens to prevent danger or trouble.

For teachers: 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.

### 2. carefulness

noun · CEFR C1 · Formal

the quality of being careful and thinking about the future to avoid mistakes.

For teachers: 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.

### 3. to warn

verb · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

to warn someone about a danger before it happens.

For teachers: 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'

## Examples

- I take the precaution of locking my door every night.
- The hikers packed extra water and a first-aid kit as a precaution against getting lost in the heat.
- While the risk of a fire was statistically low, the museum directors insisted on every possible precaution to protect the priceless collection from smoke damage.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.