[1] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

precaution \precau"tion\, n. f. pr'ecation, l. praecautio,
   fr. praecavere, praecautum, to guard against beforehand; prae
   before + cavere be on one's guard. see pre-, and
   caution.
   1. previous caution or care; caution previously employed to
      prevent mischief or secure good; as, his life was saved by
      precaution.
      1913 webster

            they ancient philosophers treasured up their
            supposed discoveries with miserable precaution. --j.
                                                  h. newman.
      1913 webster

   2. a measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good
      or success; a precautionary act; as, to take precautions
      against accident.
      1913 webster
see also:
pre- caution 

[2] : The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48

precaution \precau"tion\, v. t. cf. f. pr'ecautionner.
   1. to warn or caution beforehand. --locke.
      1913 webster

   2. to take precaution against. r. --dryden.
      1913 webster

[3] : WordNet (r) 2.0

precaution
     n 1: a precautionary measure warding off impending danger or
          damage or injury etc.; "he put an ice pack on the injury
          as a precaution"; "an insurance policy is a good
          safeguard"; "we let our guard down" syn: safeguard, guard
     2: the trait of practicing caution in advance
     3: judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger; "he exercised
        caution in opening the door"; "he handled the vase with
        care" syn: caution, care, forethought
see also:
safeguard guard caution care forethought 

[4] : Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0

43 moby thesaurus words for "precaution":
   alertness, anticipation, apprehension, attention, canniness, care,
   caution, cautiousness, chariness, circumspection, cover,
   discreetness, discretion, escape, forearming, forebode,
   forehandedness, foresight, foresightedness, forethought,
   forethoughtfulness, forewarn, give advance notice, insurance,
   measures, portend, precautions, precautiousness, premonish,
   prenotify, preventive measure, prewarn, protection, providence,
   provision, prudence, safeguard, steps, steps and measures,
   tell in advance, vigilance, wariness, watchfulness

Precaution >> P Words
Precaution, definition of term: Precaution
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