precaution
B2Formal to neutral
Definition
Meaning
An action taken in advance to prevent harm, danger, or undesirable outcomes.
A measure, procedure, or mindset adopted to mitigate risk, often in contexts of safety, health, security, or planning.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Implies foresight and proactive planning. Often used in plural ('precautions') to refer to a set of safety measures. Carries a connotation of prudence and responsibility.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. Spelling is identical.
Connotations
Slightly more common in formal/official contexts in the UK (e.g., health and safety regulations). In the US, frequently used in public health and security advisories.
Frequency
Comparably frequent in both varieties.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
take [precaution] against [noun][precaution] to prevent [noun/gerund]as a [precaution]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Better safe than sorry (conceptual link)”
- “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure (conceptual link)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Refers to risk management strategies, due diligence, and contingency planning.
Academic
Used in discussions of methodology, experimental safety, and ethical research protocols.
Everyday
Common in contexts of health (e.g., sun cream), travel, home safety, and weather preparation.
Technical
Specific protocols in medicine (universal precautions), engineering (fail-safes), and chemistry (handling hazardous materials).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- N/A - 'Precaution' is not a verb. Use 'take precautions' or the verb 'precautionary' is an adjective.
American English
- N/A - 'Precaution' is not a verb. Use 'take precautions'.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'Precautionarily' is extremely rare and not standard. Use 'as a precaution' or 'precautionary'.
American English
- N/A - 'Precautionarily' is not standard. Use 'as a precaution'.
adjective
British English
- The precautionary principle guides much of EU environmental policy.
- They made a precautionary visit to the doctor.
American English
- As a precautionary step, we evacuated the building.
- She took precautionary antibiotics before the surgery.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Take precautions in the sun.
- As a precaution, wear a helmet.
- We took basic precautions against burglary.
- It's a sensible precaution to lock your car.
- The laboratory has strict safety precautions for handling chemicals.
- Despite all necessary precautions, the event had to be cancelled due to the storm.
- The treaty was drafted with numerous legal precautions to prevent its misuse by member states.
- Epidemiologists argued that the precautionary principle should be invoked given the uncertain long-term effects.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: PRE-CAUTION. You take care (caution) BEFORE (pre-) something happens.
Conceptual Metaphor
PREPARATION IS A SHIELD; RISK IS AN ADVERSARY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'предосторожность' for all contexts; in technical/business English, 'preventive measure' or 'safeguard' might be more natural.
- The plural 'precautions' is very common and does not imply excessive fear.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'precaution' as a verb (incorrect: 'We must precaution the system'). Correct: 'We must take precautions for the system.'
- Confusing with 'prevention' (the act of stopping something vs. the measure taken to enable prevention).
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following best captures the core meaning of 'precaution'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, 'precaution' is solely a noun. The related adjective is 'precautionary'. The verbal idea is expressed with phrases like 'take precautions'.
'Precaution' is a measure taken in advance to make prevention possible. 'Prevention' is the act of stopping something from happening. Precautions are the tools for prevention.
Both are common, but the plural 'precautions' is frequently used to refer to a set or series of safety measures (e.g., 'take all necessary precautions').
Rarely. It is generally positive (prudent, responsible). In some contexts, it might be seen as excessive or causing unnecessary alarm, but this is usually indicated by modifiers like 'excessive' or 'unnecessary precautions'.