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# precaution

noun (a precaution, precautions)

«precaution» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A precaution is something you do in advance to stop something bad or dangerous from happening. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#m1)

### In the lessons

In safety lessons pupils learn precautions: wear a helmet, wear goggles in science, wash hands, put on sun cream. In everyday life people take an umbrella «as a precaution». In formal language, «safety precautions» are rules to follow. Phrases: take precautions, as a precaution, safety precautions, fire precautions.

### Examples

- Wear goggles as a precaution in the science lab. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x1)
- We took an umbrella as a precaution. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x2)
- Wearing a helmet is a sensible precaution when cycling. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x3)
- The school practises fire drills as a safety precaution. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x4)
- As a precaution, the beach was closed during the storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x5)
- Washing hands is a simple precaution against germs. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x6)
- Take all safety precautions before using the oven. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x7)
- He knew very well what that meant; but he had taken his precautions and was not afraid. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun; often plural «precautions». «Take precautions» is the usual verb. The adjective is «precautionary». «Pre-» means before: you act before the danger.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «precaution» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/P/precaution/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«precaution» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/precaution.html) on Mova free.