different between precaution vs discretion

English

Etymology

From French précaution, Latin praecautio, from praecavere, praecautum (“to guard against beforehand”); prae (“before”) + cavere (“be on one's guard”). See pre-, and caution.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?i??k????n/
• Hyphenation: pre?cau?tion

Noun

precaution (countable and uncountable, plural precautions)

1. Previous caution or care; caution previously employed to prevent misfortune or to secure good
   • July 2, 1826, John Henry Newman, The Philosophical Temper, First Enjoined by the Gospel

     The ancient philosophers treasured up their supposed discoveries with miserable precaution.

2. A measure taken beforehand to ward off evil or secure good or success; a precautionary act.

   to take precautions against risks of accident

Derived terms

• precautionary

Translations

See also

• prevention

Verb

precaution (third-person singular simple present precautions, present participle precautioning, simple past and past participle precautioned)

1. (transitive) To warn or caution beforehand.
2. (transitive, rare) To take precaution against.

Translations

Anagrams

• preauction, unoperatic

English

Etymology

From Middle English discrecioun, from Old French discretion, from Late Latin discr?ti?, from Latin discerno.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /d??sk????n/

Noun

discretion (usually uncountable, plural discretions)

1. The quality of being discreet or circumspect.

   Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.

2. The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
3. The freedom to make one's own judgements.

   I leave that to your discretion.

Antonyms

• indiscretion

Derived terms

• discretionary
• discretion is the better part of valour
• surrender at discretion

Related terms

Translations

Anagrams

• cretinoids, directions, doctrinise

Old French

Alternative forms

• discrecion

Noun

discretion f (oblique plural discretions, nominative singular discretion, nominative plural discretions)

1. discretion (ability to make one's own judgments)