{
    "term": "precaution",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "something that is done in advance in order to prevent problems or to avoid danger",
            "sensetop": "precaution (against something)",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "safety precautions"
                },
                {
                    "text": "precautions against fire"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You must **take all reasonable precautions** to protect yourself and your family."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I'll keep the letter **as a precaution**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I took the precaution of turning the water supply off first."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She had to stay in hospital overnight, just as a precaution."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We take every precaution to ensure that you have a comfortable journey."
                },
                {
                    "text": "You'll be quite safe if you observe certain basic precautions."
                },
                {
                    "text": "a precaution against customers who try to leave without paying"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the need to take great precautions to protect sources"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Residents have a responsibility to take adequate precautions against fire."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Serious injury can occur if proper safety precautions are not followed."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Danger"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["sensible", "wise", "adequate"],
                "verb + precaution": ["follow", "observe", "take"],
                "preposition": [
                    "as a precaution",
                    "precaution against",
                    "precaution for"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "a way of referring to contraception",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "We didn't **take any precautions** and I got pregnant."
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/prɪˈkɔːʃn/",
                "audio": "pr/precaution/precaution__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/prɪˈkɔːʃn/",
                "audio": "pr/precaution/precaution__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "late 16th cent. (in the sense ‘prudent foresight’): from French précaution, from late Latin praecautio(n-), from Latin praecavere, from prae ‘before’ + cavere ‘take heed, beware of’."
}