A precautionary measure warding off impending danger or damage or injury etc.:
— He put an ice pack on the injury as a precaution.

synonyms: guard, safeguard.

Roget 664: safety, security, surety, impregnability; invulnerability, invulnerableness etc. adj.; danger past, danger over; storm blown over; coast clear; escape etc. 671; means of escape; blow valve, safety valve, release valve, sniffing valve; safeguard, palladium.    guardianship, wardship, wardenship; tutelage, custody, safekeeping; preservation etc. 670; protection, auspices.    safe-conduct, escort, convoy; guard, shield etc. (defense) 717; guardian angel; tutelary god, tutelary deity, tutelary saint; genius loci.    protector, guardian; warden, warder; preserver, custodian, duenna [Sp.], chaperon, third person.    watchdog, bandog^†; Cerberus; watchman, patrolman, policeman; cop [Slang], dick [Slang], fuzz [Slang], smokey [Slang], peeler [Slang], zarp [Slang]; sentinel, sentry, scout etc. (warning) 668; garrison; guardship^†.    [Means of safety] refuge &c., anchor etc. 666; precaution etc. (preparation) 673; quarantine, cordon sanitaire [Fr.].    [Sense of security]. confidence etc. 858 ... show more

Roget 673: preparation; providing etc. v.; provision, providence; anticipation etc. (foresight) 510; precaution, preconcertation^†, predisposition; forecast etc. (plan) 626; rehearsal, note of preparation.    [Putting in order] arrangement etc. 60; clearance; adjustment etc. 23; tuning; equipment, outfit, accouterment, armament, array.    ripening etc. v.; maturation, evolution; elaboration, concoction, digestion; gestation, batching, incubation, sitting.    groundwork, first stone, cradle, stepping-stone; foundation, scaffold etc. (support) 215; scaffolding, echafaudage [Fr.].    [Preparation of men] training etc. (education) 537; inurement etc. (habit) 613; novitiate; cooking [Preparation of food], cookery; brewing, culinary art; tilling, plowing, [Preparation of the soil], sowing; semination^†, cultivation.    [State of being prepared] preparedness, readiness, ripeness, mellowness; maturity; un impromptu fait a loisir [Fr.].    [Preparer] preparer, trainer; pioneer, trailblazer; avant-courrier [Fr.], avant-coureur [Fr.]; voortrekker [Afrik.]; sappers and miners, pavior^†, navvy^†; packer, stevedore; warming pan.    ... show more

Roget 626: plan, scheme, design, project; proposal, proposition, suggestion; resolution, motion; precaution etc. (provision) 673; deep-laid plan etc. (premeditated) 611; system etc. (order) 58; organization etc. (arrangement) 60; germ etc. (cause) 153.    sketch, skeleton, outline, draught, draft, ebauche [Fr.], brouillon [Fr.]; rough cast, rough draft, draught copy; copy; proof, revise.    drawing, scheme, schematic, graphic, chart, flow chart (representation) 554.    forecast, program, programme, prospectus; carte du pays [Fr.]; card; bill, protocol; order of the day, list of agenda; bill of fare etc. (food) 298; base of operations; platform, plank, slate [U.S.], ticket [U.S.].    role; policy etc. (line of conduct) 692.    contrivance, invention, expedient, receipt, nostrum, artifice, device; pipelaying [U.S.]; stratagem etc. (cunning) 702; trick etc. (deception) 545; alternative, loophole; shift etc. (substitute) 147; last shift etc. (necessity) 601.    measure, step; stroke, stroke of policy; master stroke; trump card, court card; cheval de bataille [Fr.], great gun; coup, coup d'etat [Fr.]; clever stroke, bold stroke, good move, good hit, good stroke; bright thought, bright idea.    intrigue, cabal, plot, conspiracy, complot^†, machination; subplot, underplot^†, counterplot.    schemer, schemist^†, schematist^†; strategist, machinator; projector, artist, promoter, designer etc. v.; conspirator; intrigant etc. (cunning) 702^†.    ... show more

Dutch: voorzorg, precautie, voorzorgsmaatregel

The trait of practicing caution in advance.

Judiciousness in avoiding harm or danger.

synonyms: care, caution, forethought.

Roget 459: care, solicitude, heed; heedfulness etc. adj.; scruple etc. (conscientiousness) 939.    watchfulness etc. adj.; vigilance, surveillance, eyes of Argus^†, watch, vigil, look out, watch and ward, loeil du maitre [Fr.].    alertness etc. (activity) 682; attention etc. 457; prudence &c., circumspection etc. (caution) 864; anxiety; forethought etc. 510; precaution etc. (preparation) 673; tidiness etc. (order) 58, (cleanliness) 652; accuracy etc. (exactness) 494; minuteness, attention to detail.    ... show more

Dutch: voorzichtigheid