forecaution

From fore- +‎ caution. First attested in 1662.

• IPA^(key): /fɔːrˈkɔːʃən/
• Hyphenation: fore‧cau‧tion

forecaution (countable and uncountable, plural forecautions)

1. (archaic, uncountable) Caution in advance; precaution.
   • 1882, Saint Bartholomew's Hospital, Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Reports, Smith, Elder & Co., page 405:

     Again, on the contrary, however much forecaution may have been taken in preparing the patient for an operation, some general disturbance follows, […]

   • 1845, David Badham, Insect Life, William Blackwood and Sons, page 101:

     […] that as nature had not given intelligence to these creatures, they cannot have the means of taking counsel together, of exercising forethought or forecaution, nor of learning any thing, […]

   • 1881, Frank Leslie, Frank Leslie's Popular Monthly, page 644:

     They had at their disposal all the terrible enginery of secret murder, against which no human forecaution can effectually guard.

2. (archaic, countable) A measure taken in advance to disallow misfortune; a precaution.
   • 1662, Jan Baptist van Helmont, Oriatrike, Or, Phyſick Refined, the Common Errors Therein Refuted, and the Whole Art Reformed & Rectified, page 394:

     […] to cure from the latter or effect, by a forecaution and prevention of its increaſe?

   • 1904, The Metal Worker, Plumber, and Steam Fitter, page 50:

     […] the result is worse, and serious breakage has occurred before the job was finished, due to settling of legs because no forecaution was taken to prevent it.

forecaution (third-person singular simple present forecautions, present participle forecautioning, simple past and past participle forecautioned)

1. (transitive) To warn or caution in advance.
   • 1839, Thascius Caecilius Cyprianus, The Treatises of Caecilius Cyprianus, page 298:

     By Solomon, the Holy Spirit hath shewn and forecautioned us, saying, "And though they suffered torments in the sight of men, their hope is full of immortality. […] "