I.to guard against beforehand.
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.,” Cic. Verr. 2, 4, 42, § 91: “venena,” Suet. Calig. 23: “injurias,” Gell. 7, 3, 41: “malam diem,” Vulg. Eccl. 7, 15.—
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.