Lewis & Short

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prae-căvĕo, cāvi, cautum, 2, v. a. and n., to guard against beforehand.

  1. I. Act., to guard against, seek to avert, obviate, or prevent (class.; syn. provideo): illud praecavendum est mihi, Plaut. Men. 5, 2, 107: peccata, quae difficillime praecaventur, Cic. Rosc. Am. 40, 116: quod a me ita praecautum atque ita provisum est, id. Att. 2, 1, 6: ita mihi res tota provisa atque praecauta est, ut, etc., id. Verr. 2, 4, 42, § 91: venena, Suet. Calig. 23: injurias, Gell. 7, 3, 41: malam diem, Vulg. Eccl. 7, 15.
  2. II. Neutr., to take care or heed, to use precaution, to be on one’s guard, to beware (class.): ferae, quibus abest ad praecavendum intellegendi astutia, Pac. ap. Cic. Fin. 5, 11, 31 (Trag. Rel. p. 103 Rib.); Plaut. Truc. 2, 5, 21: providentem ante et praecaventem, Cic. Planc. 22, 53: praecaventibus fatis, Vell. 2, 12, 1: ab insidiis, to guard against, Liv. 9, 17.
    With ne: id ne accideret, magnopere sibi praecavendum Caesar existimabat, Caes. B. G. 1, 38, 2; cf.: satis undique provisum atque praecautum est, ne, etc., Liv. 36, 17, 12: cum videtur praecaveri potuisse, si provisum esset, Cic. Tusc. 3, 22, 52; cf. id. Inv. 2, 32, 99.
    With dat., to provide for, take precautions for one’s safety: sibi, Ter. And. 3, 5, 18.
    In part. perf.: sed praecauto’st opus, ne, etc., there is need of caution, Plaut. Merc. 2, 2, 61.