From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprecautionpre‧cau‧tion /prɪˈkɔːʃən $ -ˈkɒː-/ ●○○ noun [countable usually plural] PREVENTsomething you do in order to prevent something dangerous or unpleasant from happening Fire precautions were neglected.as a precaution The traffic barriers were put there as a safety precaution.precaution against Save your work often as a precaution against computer failure.wise/sensible precaution The trails are well marked, but carrying a map is a wise precaution. Vets took precautions to prevent the spread of the disease.take the precaution of doing something I took the precaution of insuring my camera.RegisterIn everyday English, people usually say just in case rather than as a precaution:I'm going to take my umbrella just in case.COLLOCATIONSverbstake a precautionWe had taken the precaution of turning the water off.ADJECTIVES/NOUN + precautiona sensible/wise precautionFitting window locks is a sensible precaution.a simple precautionYou can easily reduce the risk of theft by taking a few simple precautions.a necessary precautionHe justified his secrecy as a necessary precaution.a reasonable precautionYou must take all reasonable precautions to safeguard official property.adequate/proper precautionsCompanies have a legal responsibility to take adequate precautions against fire.basic/elementary precautionsYour home could be at risk if you don't take some basic precautions.elaborate precautions (=a lot of detailed precautions)Elaborate precautions were taken to avoid disputes between the representatives.a safety precautionBoth areas were cordoned off as a safety precaution.a security precautionThe threat of terrorist attacks has prompted some elaborate security precautions.
Examples from the Corpus
precaution• She had not taken any precautions, nothing had been further from her mind.• Some of them took extreme precautions against being removed.• Yet all her precautions do not seem to have prevented the 26-year-old woman from abduction.• Many precautions have been devised to avoid contamination, but scrupulous housekeeping is essential in any laboratory routinely undertaking the reaction.• All safety precautions must be followed.• Nevertheless, it makes sense to take a few simple precautions.• The district officer wanted to know if suitable precautions had been taken to avoid the elephants.• The Reich took precautions at Garmisch.take the precaution of doing something• I took the precaution of setting the comms to automatic response.• If you are ordering, designing or making shelves, take the precaution of measuring a fair sample of your collection.• It was lucky that we took the precaution of setting extra anchors.• Mind you I've taken the precaution of leaving all my nursing manuals at home.• Most employers also take the precaution of stating that the illustrations given are not exhaustive.• Simply take the precaution of having a structural survey carried out before the 10-year guarantee expires, and at 10-yearly intervals thereafter.• This identification was emphasized in 1483 when Gloucester took the precaution of arresting lord Stanley as a prelude to his usurpation.• This time I had taken the precaution of tipping off the organizers in advance and swearing them to silence.From Longman Business Dictionaryprecautionpre‧cau‧tion /prɪˈkɔːʃən-ˈkɒː-/ noun [countable] something done to prevent something unpleasant or dangerous happeningAll companies with limited resources must take precautions to limit their liability.As a precaution, the company advised consumers to examine any jar before it is opened.Origin precaution (1500-1600) French précaution, from Latin, from praecavere “to guard against” 