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Glite Dictionary
to take precaution

to take precaution

25 3.6
Do things to avoid harm or danger
  • phrasal verb
translation icon : tomar precauciones
  • You will have to take precautions.
  • take precautions to prevent
  • take precautions to ensure
  • take precautions to avoid

If we don't take precautions, they will hold us by the throat.

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Examples

  • The Virginia Department of Health reminds people to take precautions when using alternate sources of power.

    Blog text (10)

  • I should have thought of this possibility and told you to take precautions.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • We had to take precautions.

    The Professor and the Madman (2019)

  • We have to take precautions.

    The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)

  • I had to take precautions.

    Monster House (2006)

  • People at risk should take precautions when driving.

    Academic text (2012)

  • I have taken precautions to protect the embassy personnel.

    Hollywood North (2004)

  • Certainly, they recognize the possibility of assaults and take precautions to avoid them.

    Academic text (2006)

  • I assume you agree it's wise to take precautions against possible contingencies.

    Fiction book (2001)

  • During the storm warning, everyone was advised to take precautions to ensure their safety.

Synonyms

to protect
vsto take precaution
∞ 1.0

To keep someone or something safe from harm

is about acting to prevent harm through deliberate steps rather than only keeping safe
to be careful
vsto take precaution
979 1.0

Take care to avoid danger or getting hurt

involves active preventive steps rather than only issuing a warning
to watch out
vsto take precaution
  • Informal
582 3.0

To be careful to avoid danger or trouble

means short term vigilance rather than planning concrete safety steps
to take care
vsto take precaution
168 1.8

To be careful to avoid danger

means acting to prevent harm through deliberate steps rather than only staying cautious
to beware
vsto take precaution
136 4.1

Be careful and watch for danger

means planned preventive action instead of mere alertness or warning
to guard
vsto take precaution
84 1.3

To take care to avoid a problem or danger

is about acting generally to ensure safety and avoid risk
to play it safe
vsto take precaution
42 3.4

Choose a careful option to avoid risks

focuses on specific preventive steps rather than choosing only cautious options
to tread carefully
vsto take precaution
6 3.9

Act carefully to avoid mistakes, danger, or upsetting others

focuses on moving in a slow cautious manner rather than planning preventive steps
to forfend
vsto take precaution
  • Archaic
2 9.9

To stop danger or harm from happening

focuses on stopping bad events completely rather than simple safety steps
to take measures against
vsto take precaution
  • Formal
1 3.5

Do things to prevent or deal with a problem

focuses specifically on acting to prevent harm or danger rather than general problems
to forefend
vsto take precaution
  • Archaic
9.9

To stop something bad from happening

means using everyday steps to avoid risk rather than complete prevention

Antonyms

to take chances
36 3.8

Do something risky hoping to do well

How Careful

to protect
∞ 1.0
to take precaution
25 3.6
to neglect
256 3.8

Surface Forms

take precaution infinitive
taking precaution present participle
takes precaution third person singular
took precaution past
taken precaution past participle

Morphology

take + precaution

The meaning is directly and compositionally derived from 'take' (to perform or assume) + 'precaution' (an action to avoid risk), so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer it means to perform actions to avoid harm. This follows a common verb + noun collocation pattern found across many languages, making the expression immediately comprehensible.

Etymology

Take precaution comes from the simple image of doing something before danger arrives, like covering windows before a storm or locking your bag before travel. The word take shows doing an action and precaution is a careful step done 'before' a problem, so the phrase means to act now to 'prevent harm'.