precaution
definition
an action that is taken to protect somebody or something
example
After the severe earthquake, the government put a lot of effort in taking every precaution to prevent more deaths from aftershocks.
synonyms
cautionmeasureprotection
word origin — late 16th century (in the sense ‘prudent foresight’): from French précaution, from late Latin praecautio(n-), from Latin praecavere, from prae ‘before’ + cavere ‘take heed, beware of’