INDEX:
1. careful to avoid risks or danger
2. to try to avoid risks or danger
3. what you say when warning someone to be careful
4. careful to do things correctly
5. careful work/checks/actions
6. to try to do something correctly and not make mistakes
7. careful about what you say to other people
RELATED WORDS
opposite
↑ CARELESS
too careful about small details : ↑ DETAIL (8)
see also
↑ SENSIBLE
◆◆◆
1. careful to avoid risks or danger
▷ careful /ˈkeəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is careful tries to avoid danger, risks, or accidents :
▪ You’ll be OK with Jane - she’s a very careful driver.
▪ Paints today are getting safer as companies remove harmful chemicals, but you still need to be careful.
careful (that)
▪ We had to be careful that we didn’t tip the raft over.
carefully [adverb]
▪ Bye, Sarah - drive carefully!
▷ cautious /ˈkɔːʃəs/ [adjective]
someone who is cautious does not like taking risks and is always very careful to avoid them :
▪ If we’re too cautious, we might lose a good business opportunity.
▪ Phil’s a very cautious driver - it’ll take at least an hour to get there.
cautious about
▪ I’ve always been cautious about giving people my phone number.
cautiously [adverb]
▪ Slowly and cautiously, we made our way along the edge of the cliff.
▷ with care/with caution /wɪð ˈkeəʳ, wɪð ˈkɔːʃ ə n/ [adverb]
if you do something with care or with caution, you do it carefully in order to avoid accidents :
▪ Some roads may be icy and motorists are advised to drive with caution.
handle something with care
▪ These antiques are fragile and must be handled with care.
▷ wary /ˈwe ə ri/ [adjective]
someone who is wary does not easily trust people and thinks very carefully before getting involved in any situation that might be dangerous or cause problems :
wary of
▪ She had become extremely wary of relationships as a result of her childhood experiences.
▪ Wary of becoming entangled in her friend’s family quarrels, Eileen made an excuse and left.
wary about
▪ The problems with selling the house had made her much more wary about financial matters.
keep a wary eye on somebody/something
watch something or someone carefully
▪ One of the guards was fiddling with his radio, all the time keeping a wary eye on the five prisoners.
warily [adverb]
▪ He made his way up the stairs, glancing warily over his shoulder and keeping close to the wall.
▷ vigilant /ˈvɪdʒɪlənt, ˈvɪdʒələnt/ [adjective] formal
always paying attention to what is happening, so that you notice any danger or illegal activity :
▪ Be vigilant on public transport and at tourist sites, as pickpockets operate in these areas.
vigilant about
▪ We have to be vigilant about protecting our right to privacy.
remain vigilant
▪ The terrorist threat is still real, and the public should remain vigilant.
ever vigilant
always vigilant
▪ We must be ever vigilant. Don’t think that Fascism can never rise again. It can.
vigilance [uncountable noun]
▪ ‘This case has reminded all Americans about the need for vigilance in guarding against racial discrimination,’ Relman said.
2. to try to avoid risks or danger
▷ take care /ˌteɪk ˈkeəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to do something in a sensible way, in order to avoid risks :
▪ Of course you don’t have to spend all your time worrying about possible health hazards, but you still need to take care.
take care how/when etc
▪ Take care how you cross the road. Most drivers ignore the traffic lights and just drive through.
take care with
▪ I always take great care with diets, so I don’t lose too much weight too quickly.
▷ take precautions /ˌteɪk prɪˈkɔːʃ ə nz/ [verb phrase]
to make preparations before you do something, in order to avoid the risk of something unpleasant happening :
▪ Tourists should take precautions as they would in any large city, and should avoid traveling alone at night.
take precautions against
▪ The villagers had already taken precautions against random raids by the militia.
take the precaution of doing something
▪ Bennet had taken the precaution of transferring his house into his wife’s name before his company collapsed.
▷ be on your guard /ˌbiː ɒn jɔːʳ ˈgɑːʳd/ [verb phrase]
to pay careful attention to what is happening and not easily trust people, in order to avoid getting into danger, being tricked etc :
▪ Drivers have to be on their guard, as faults or signal failures can occur at any time.
be on your guard against
▪ ‘ We would like to warn everybody to be on their guard against unsolicited ‘tradesmen’,’ he said.
▷ keep/have your wits about you /ˌkiːp, ˌhæv jɔːʳ ˈwɪts əˌbaʊt juː/ [verb phrase]
to watch and listen very carefully when you are in a situation that might be dangerous, or in which people might try to cheat you :
▪ It was only because John kept his wits about him that the boys managed to get home safely.
▪ Buying a second-hand car can be very tricky. You really have to have your wits about you.
▷ play safe /ˌpleɪ ˈseɪf/ [verb phrase]
to choose a careful way of doing something instead of a way that could have more risks or danger :
▪ My friends keep advising me to invest my money in stocks and shares but I’ve decided to play safe and leave it in the bank.
▪ The Film Club could have played safe by starting the season with one of the ever-popular Hitchcock movies, but instead they chose to show an avant-garde documentary.
▷ take no chances /ˌteɪk nəʊ ˈtʃɑːnsə̇zǁ-ˈtʃæn-/ [verb phrase]
to organize something in a very careful way, because you want to avoid any possible risks :
▪ This time we’re taking no chances. Everything will be planned down to the last detail.
▪ Weather forecasters have warned about the possibility of severe storms, and city officials are taking no chances.
3. what you say when warning someone to be careful
▷ be careful /biː ˈkeəʳf ə l/ [verb phrase] spoken :
careful!/be careful!
▪ There’s ice on the roads tonight so be careful.
▪ Careful! That’s hot.
be careful with
▪ Hey! Careful with that cigarette!
be careful with something
▪ You be careful with that knife.
be careful (not) to do something
▪ Be careful not to get any of that bleach on your clothes.
be careful(that) you do something
▪ You’ll have to be careful you don’t lose your balance.
be careful what/where/how etc
▪ The whole interview will be recorded so you’d better be careful what you say.
▷ take care /ˌteɪk ˈkeəʳ/ spoken
say this to warn someone to be careful, especially when you think they may not realize there are dangers or risks :
▪ Take care. That gun’s loaded.
▪ Take care when you open the van door, sometimes it springs open suddenly.
take care (not) to do something
▪ Take care not to leave any money in the changing rooms.
▷ look out/watch out! /ˌlʊk ˈaʊt, ˌwɒtʃ ˈaʊtǁˌwɑːtʃ-/ spoken
say this to warn someone that they are going to have an accident and they must do something quickly to avoid it :
▪ Watch out - you’re going to spill paint over my new carpet!
▪ Look out, Phil - there’s a car coming!
▷ watch it/watch what you’re doing /ˈwɒtʃ ɪtǁˈwɑːtʃ-, ˌwɒtʃ wɒt jɔːʳ ˈduːɪŋǁˌwɑːtʃ-/ spoken
say this when someone has just done something dangerous, and you want to tell them to be careful :
▪ Watch it! You nearly knocked my head off with that stick!
▷ mind out /ˌmaɪnd ˈaʊt/ British spoken
say this when you want someone to move to one side to avoid possible danger :
▪ Mind out -- there’s a snowball coming towards you!
4. careful to do things correctly
▷ careful /ˈkeəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
someone who is careful tries not to make mistakes, and tries to do everything correctly :
▪ She’s a careful, hard-working student.
careful with
▪ Try to be more careful with your punctuation.
careful (not) to do something
▪ They were careful not to touch anything until the police arrived.
▪ Fry the garlic, being careful not to let it burn.
carefully [adverb]
▪ Check your essay carefully for spelling mistakes.
▷ with care /wɪð ˈkeəʳ/ [adverb] formal
if you do something with care you do it carefully in order to make sure that you do not make any mistakes :
▪ She has to work slowly and with great care in order to get the picture just right.
▪ Her room is beautifully furnished, with a great deal of care and attention to detail.
▪ Aunt Beryl’s presents were well-received, and had obviously been chosen with a lot of care.
▷ conscientious /ˌkɒnʃiˈenʃəs◂ǁˌkɑːn-/ [adjective]
someone who is conscientious has a serious attitude to their work or their duties and tries hard to do everything they have been asked to do in the way that it should be done :
▪ She was a very conscientious student and attended all her lectures.
▪ His previous employer describes him as honest, hard-working and conscientious.
conscientious about
▪ I wish everyone was as conscientious as you are about getting to work on time.
conscientiously [adverb]
▪ She can be trusted to carry out her duties conscientiously and effectively.
▷ thorough /ˈθʌrəǁˈθʌrəʊ, ˈθʌrə/ [adjective not usually before noun]
someone who is thorough is careful that all the work they do is complete and correct :
▪ Our mechanics will check everything - they’re very thorough.
thoroughly [adverb]
▪ All the equipment has been thoroughly tested.
▷ meticulous /mɪˈtɪkjɑləs, məˈtɪkjɑləs/ [adjective]
someone who is meticulous pays a lot of attention to every detail in order to make sure that everything is done correctly :
▪ This beautiful piece of jewellery is the work of a meticulous craftsman.
▪ My mother was extremely meticulous and always made sure that every room in the house was spotlessly clean.
meticulous about
▪ Our accountant is very meticulous about his work. I can’t imagine him ever making a mistake.
meticulously [adverb]
▪ The investigators worked meticulously through the evidence for several months, but found no real evidence to connect Murray with the crime.
▷ methodical /mɪˈθɒdɪk ə l, məˈθɒdɪk ə lǁmə̇ˈθɑː-/ [adjective]
someone who is methodical always does their work in a carefully planned way and is careful to check everything they do :
▪ Poirot, always deliberate and methodical, made a list of all the possible suspects.
▪ Barnes is a conscientious and methodical journalist who would have checked all of the facts before writing the story.
5. careful work/checks/actions
▷ careful /ˈkeəʳf ə l/ [adjective only before noun]
a careful test, study, piece of work etc is done carefully and correctly, with a lot of attention to detail :
▪ A careful inspection showed cracks in the foundation of the building.
▪ Her book is the result of years of careful research.
▷ thorough /ˈθʌrəǁˈθʌrəʊ, ˈθʌrə/ [adjective]
a thorough search, check, examination etc is one that is done carefully so that no detail is missed :
▪ The doctor gave me a thorough check-up.
thorough search/check/examination etc
▪ The police have made a thorough search of the area.
▷ systematic /ˌsɪstəˈmætɪk◂/ [adjective]
a systematic way of doing something uses a fixed plan, so that everything gets done thoroughly - use this especially about activities that are dishonest or harmful :
▪ the systematic destruction of the country’s education system
▪ Ex-prisoners talked of systematic cruelty within the jail.
systematically [adverb]
▪ They went through the documents systematically, removing every reference to his former wife.
▷ rigorous /ˈrɪgərəs/ [adjective]
rigorous tests/checks/examination etc
checks etc that are done very carefully to make sure that something is safe, suitable etc or of the right quality or standard :
▪ Every new drug has to pass a series of rigorous safety checks before it is put on sale.
▪ The entrance tests for people wishing to enter the diplomatic service are particularly rigorous.
rigorously [adverb]
▪ The plane had been rigorously checked before taking off on its last flight.
▷ painstaking /ˈpeɪnzˌteɪkɪŋ/ [adjective only before noun]
very careful and thorough, and taking a lot of time and effort :
▪ They began the long and painstaking task of compiling a bibliography.
painstakingly [adverb]
▪ The poet’s house has been painstakingly restored.
▷ close /kləʊs/ [adjective only before noun]
close look/examination
paying very careful attention to details :
▪ Take a close look at this photograph.
▪ On closer examination of the facts it became clear that the boy was innocent.
closely [adverb]
▪ The police questioned him closely about his involvement in the robbery.
▷ scrupulous /ˈskruːpjɑləs/ [adjective only before noun]
very carefully making sure that every detail is exactly right, so that it cannot be criticized :
▪ Scrupulous cleanliness is necessary when preparing food in a restaurant.
▪ The investigation was carried out with scrupulous fairness.
▪ Outstanding hospitality and scrupulous attention to detail make The Oceanic one of the finest hotels in the resort.
scrupulously [adverb]
▪ You must keep the wound scrupulously clean to avoid infection.
6. to try to do something correctly and not make mistakes
▷ take care /ˌteɪk ˈkeəʳ/ [verb phrase]
to do a piece of work carefully because you want it to be right, and you do not want to make mistakes :
▪ Look at all these typing errors! Can’t you take more care?
take care with
▪ Sally doesn’t take nearly enough care with her accounts.
take care to do something
▪ Take care to label all the disks with the correct file names.
▷ pay attention to /ˌpeɪ əˈtenʃ ə n tuː/ [verb phrase]
to be careful that a particular thing is done in the right way :
▪ You need to pay more attention to your grammar if you want to get a better grade.
▪ Trainees are taught to pay attention to details and to strive for perfection.
▷ take pains to do something /teɪk ˌpeɪnz tə ˈduː something/ [verb phrase]
to make a special effort to do something carefully and well :
▪ Take pains to present a smart, efficient appearance, and to show that you are keen to progress in the company.
▪ He had taken great pains to make the setting attractive: green candles stood waiting to be lit and in the centre was a bowl of white miniature roses.
7. careful about what you say to other people
▷ careful /ˈkeəʳf ə l/ [adjective]
careful what/how etc
▪ You have to be careful what you say to her, she’s very easily offended.
▪ They were both aware that there might be listening devices in the room, and she wanted to be careful what she said.
careful (not) to do something
▪ ‘Failing your exams isn’t the end of the world,’ said Kay’s mother, careful not to sound disappointed.
▪ She is careful not to criticize the president, but makes it clear that she thinks the government’s policies should be far more radical.
▷ tactful /ˈtæktf ə l/ [adjective]
careful not to do or say anything that will hurt or embarrass other people :
▪ I wish you’d be more tactful - didn’t you realize she was divorced?
tactful about
▪ My parents tried to be tactful about my new boyfriend, but I knew they didn’t like him.
▷ guarded /ˈgɑːʳdɪd, ˈgɑːʳdəd/ [adjective]
if you make a guarded statement, remark etc you are careful not to let other people know much about your thoughts or intentions :
▪ Michael Fallon, MP for Darlington, has given the scheme a guarded welcome.
▪ Their message was expressed in very guarded language.
▷ discreet /dɪˈskriːt/ [adjective] formal
very careful about what you say or do, so that you do not make people feel angry, upset, or embarrassed :
▪ A private detective was sent to make discreet inquiries about Miss Hutton’s financial situation.
▪ People might gossip if we arrived together. It would be much more discreet for us to go there separately.
discreetly [adverb]
▪ The maid entered after knocking discreetly.
discretion /dɪˈskreʃ ə n/ [uncountable noun]
▪ I should stress that this affair must be handled with the utmost discretion in a very discreet way .