preventive
/pri'ventiv/ Cách viết khác : (preventative) /pri'ventətiv/
Học thuậtThân thiện
The doctor recommends preventive measures like handwashing and a balanced diet.
Definition
Adjective:
- Intended to prevent something from happening: Describes actions, measures, or things designed to stop an undesirable event or situation before it occurs.
- Relating to the prevention of disease: Specifically used in medical contexts to describe care, medicine, or measures aimed at stopping illness before it starts.
Noun:
- A measure or action taken to prevent something: Something used as a barrier or method to stop an unwanted outcome.
- A medicine or treatment used to prevent disease: A substance or procedure intended to stop illness.
- A contraceptive device or drug: An agent specifically intended to prevent conception.
Examples of Usage
- Adjective:
- Regular exercise is a preventive measure against heart disease.
- The company has strong preventive maintenance procedures for its machinery.
- Noun:
- Vaccination is an important preventive against many infectious diseases.
- The doctor emphasized the importance of preventives like a healthy diet.
Advanced Usage
- "Preventive detention": The imprisonment of a person who is deemed likely to commit a crime, as a measure to prevent it.
- The controversial law allowed for the preventive detention of suspected terrorists.
- "Preventive care/medicine": Healthcare that focuses on preventing disease rather than treating it.
- Annual check-ups are a key part of preventive medicine.
Variants and Related Words
- Preventative: A less common variant with identical meaning to "preventive" in all its uses. "Preventive" is generally preferred, especially in formal writing.
- Prophylactic (Adj. & N.): A formal synonym, often used in medical contexts (e.g., prophylactic antibiotics, a prophylactic).
- Precautionary (Adj.): Describes an action taken in advance to avoid danger (e.g., precautionary measures).
Synonyms
- Adjective: Precautionary, prophylactic, deterrent, inhibitory.
- Noun: Precaution, safeguard, prophylactic, deterrent, contraceptive.
Related Phrases
- Preventive maintenance: Regularly scheduled maintenance intended to prevent equipment failure.
- Preventive action: An action taken to eliminate the cause of a potential problem.
Related Idioms
- "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure": This common saying highlights the core concept behind the word "preventive," meaning it is better to stop something bad from happening than to deal with it after it has happened.
The doctor recommends preventive measures like handwashing and a balanced diet.
Adjective
- tending to prevent or hinder
- preventing or contributing to the prevention of disease
- preventive medicine
- vaccines are prophylactic
- a prophylactic drug
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