preventative
/pri'ventiv/ Cách viết khác : (preventative) /pri'ventətiv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
A doctor explains the importance of preventative health measures to a patient.
Definition
Adjective:
- Intended to prevent something undesirable from happening: Describes actions, measures, or substances designed to stop a problem, illness, or unwanted event before it occurs.
- Hindering or obstructing: Tending to act as a barrier or impediment.
Noun:
- A measure or agent used to prevent something: Something employed to stop a particular issue, such as disease or conception, from arising.
- An obstacle or hindrance: Something that blocks or burdens progress.
Usage Examples
Adjective:
- Regular exercise is a preventative measure against heart disease.
- The government took preventative action to avoid an economic crisis.
Noun:
- Vaccines are important preventatives for many infectious diseases.
- The new security protocol was a necessary preventative against data breaches.
Advanced Usage
"Preventative maintenance": Routine checks and repairs designed to prevent equipment failure.
- The airline's strict schedule of preventative maintenance ensures passenger safety.
In a legal/administrative context: Referring to measures taken to avoid legal issues or violations.
- The company implemented preventative controls to ensure compliance with regulations.
Variants and Related Words
- Preventive (adj/n): An alternative, and often more common, spelling with identical meaning.
- Preventive care is a key part of the health plan.
- Prevention (n): The act of preventing something.
- Crime prevention is a community effort.
- Preventable (adj): Describing something that can be stopped from happening.
- Many childhood diseases are preventable.
Synonyms
- Prophylactic (adj/n): Specifically used in medical contexts for something that prevents disease.
- Precautionary (adj): Involving action taken to avoid danger or problems.
- Deterrent (n): Something that discourages or prevents an action.
Related Phrases
- Take preventative steps/measures: To act in order to avoid a future problem.
- We should take preventative measures before the storm hits.
Related Idioms
- "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure": This proverb emphasizes that it is easier and better to stop something bad from happening than to fix it afterward. The concept is central to the idea of being preventative.
- Installing a smoke detector is a classic case of an ounce of prevention.
A doctor explains the importance of preventative health measures to a patient.
Adjective
- preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
- preventive medicine
- vaccines are prophylactic
- a prophylactic drug
- tending to prevent or hinder
Noun
- an agent or device intended to prevent conception
- any obstruction that impedes or is burdensome
- remedy that prevents or slows the course of an illness or disease
- the doctor recommended several preventatives