precaution

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: {precaution}, {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}, {precaution}, {care}, {forethought}]
    

Precaution \Pre*cau"tion\, n. [F. pr['e]cation, 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.
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            They [ancient philosophers] treasured up their
            supposed discoveries with miserable precaution. --J.
                                                  H. Newman.
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   2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good
      or success; a precautionary act; as, to take precautions
      against accident.
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Precaution \Pre*cau"tion\, v. t. [Cf. F. pr['e]cautionner.]
   1. To warn or caution beforehand. --Locke.
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   2. To take precaution against. [R.] --Dryden.
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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