See better safe than sorry in All languages combined, or Wiktionary
Download JSON data for better safe than sorry meaning in English (7.4kB)
{
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "proverb"
},
"expansion": "better safe than sorry",
"name": "head"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English entries with incorrect language header",
"parents": [
"Entries with incorrect language header",
"Entry maintenance"
],
"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "English proverbs",
"parents": [],
"source": "w"
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{
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"name": "Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
"parents": [
"Terms with redundant script codes",
"Entry maintenance"
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"source": "w"
},
{
"kind": "other",
"name": "Mandarin terms with non-redundant manual transliterations",
"parents": [
"Terms with non-redundant manual transliterations",
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"source": "w"
}
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320",
"text": "Moreover, apart from official restrictions, drivers do not a little easing of their engines on their own account, where they consider that the feel of the track makes this desirable; and they can hardly be blamed in consequence. It is better to be safe than sorry.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (lyrics and music), “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha",
"text": "But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards."
],
"id": "en-better_safe_than_sorry-en-proverb-p2--jj9K",
"links": [
[
"preferable",
"preferable"
],
[
"cautious",
"cautious"
],
[
"choice",
"choice"
],
[
"action",
"action"
],
[
"suffer",
"suffer"
]
],
"related": [
{
"word": "err on the side of caution"
},
{
"word": "better late than never"
},
{
"word": "play it safe"
},
{
"word": "prevention is better than cure"
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "kojto sam se pazi i Bog go pazi",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "който сам се пази и Бог го пази"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "小心駛得萬年船"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "xiǎoxīn shǐ dé wàn nián chuán",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "小心驶得万年船"
},
{
"code": "fo",
"lang": "Faroese",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "betur fyrivarin enn eftirsnarin"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "varmuus on aina paras"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "parempi katsoa kuin katua"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "mieux vaut prévenir que guérir"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "עדיף להיזהר מלהצטער"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "jobb félni, mint megijedni"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "allur er varinn góður"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "la prudenza non è mai troppa"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "meglio prevenire che curare"
},
{
"alt": "ころばぬさきのつえ",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "korobanu saki no tsue",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "転ばぬ先の杖"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"roman": "podobro spreči, otkolku leči",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "подобро спречи, отколку лечи"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"roman": "dvapati meri, ednaš seči",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "двапати мери, еднаш сечи"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامت"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيس"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "سسل دهولو ڤنداڤتن, سسل کمودين تق برݢونا"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "biar lambat asalkan selamat"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "ingat sebelum kena, jimat sebelum habis"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna"
},
{
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "bedre føre var enn etter snar"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "lepiej dmuchać na zimne"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeże"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "é melhor prevenir do que remediar"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "berežónovo bog berežót",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "бережёного бог бережёт"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "'s fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach"
},
{
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "bolje sprečiti nego lečiti"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "más vale prevenir que curar"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "más vale prevenir que lamentarse"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "ta det säkra före det osäkra"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "man kan aldrig vara nog försiktig"
},
{
"code": "ur",
"lang": "Urdu",
"roman": "der ā'ye durust ā'ye",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "دیر آئے درست آئے"
}
]
}
],
"word": "better safe than sorry"
}
{
"head_templates": [
{
"args": {
"1": "en",
"2": "proverb"
},
"expansion": "better safe than sorry",
"name": "head"
}
],
"lang": "English",
"lang_code": "en",
"pos": "proverb",
"related": [
{
"word": "err on the side of caution"
},
{
"word": "better late than never"
},
{
"word": "play it safe"
},
{
"word": "prevention is better than cure"
}
],
"senses": [
{
"categories": [
"English entries with incorrect language header",
"English lemmas",
"English multiword terms",
"English proverbs",
"English terms with quotations",
"Japanese terms with redundant script codes",
"Mandarin terms with non-redundant manual transliterations"
],
"examples": [
{
"ref": "1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320",
"text": "Moreover, apart from official restrictions, drivers do not a little easing of their engines on their own account, where they consider that the feel of the track makes this desirable; and they can hardly be blamed in consequence. It is better to be safe than sorry.",
"type": "quotation"
},
{
"ref": "1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy (lyrics and music), “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha",
"text": "But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry",
"type": "quotation"
}
],
"glosses": [
"It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards."
],
"links": [
[
"preferable",
"preferable"
],
[
"cautious",
"cautious"
],
[
"choice",
"choice"
],
[
"action",
"action"
],
[
"suffer",
"suffer"
]
]
}
],
"translations": [
{
"code": "bg",
"lang": "Bulgarian",
"roman": "kojto sam se pazi i Bog go pazi",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "който сам се пази и Бог го пази"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "小心駛得萬年船"
},
{
"code": "cmn",
"lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
"roman": "xiǎoxīn shǐ dé wàn nián chuán",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "小心驶得万年船"
},
{
"code": "fo",
"lang": "Faroese",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "betur fyrivarin enn eftirsnarin"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "varmuus on aina paras"
},
{
"code": "fi",
"lang": "Finnish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "parempi katsoa kuin katua"
},
{
"code": "fr",
"lang": "French",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "mieux vaut prévenir que guérir"
},
{
"code": "de",
"lang": "German",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht"
},
{
"code": "el",
"lang": "Greek",
"roman": "kállio gaïdouródene pará gaïdourogýreve",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε"
},
{
"code": "he",
"lang": "Hebrew",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "עדיף להיזהר מלהצטער"
},
{
"code": "hu",
"lang": "Hungarian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "jobb félni, mint megijedni"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig"
},
{
"code": "is",
"lang": "Icelandic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "allur er varinn góður"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "la prudenza non è mai troppa"
},
{
"code": "it",
"lang": "Italian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "meglio prevenire che curare"
},
{
"alt": "ころばぬさきのつえ",
"code": "ja",
"lang": "Japanese",
"roman": "korobanu saki no tsue",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "転ばぬ先の杖"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"roman": "podobro spreči, otkolku leči",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "подобро спречи, отколку лечи"
},
{
"code": "mk",
"lang": "Macedonian",
"roman": "dvapati meri, ednaš seči",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "двапати мери, еднаш сечи"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامت"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيس"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Jawi"
],
"word": "سسل دهولو ڤنداڤتن, سسل کمودين تق برݢونا"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "biar lambat asalkan selamat"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "ingat sebelum kena, jimat sebelum habis"
},
{
"code": "ms",
"lang": "Malay",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"tags": [
"Rumi"
],
"word": "sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna"
},
{
"code": "no",
"lang": "Norwegian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "bedre føre var enn etter snar"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "lepiej dmuchać na zimne"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeże"
},
{
"code": "pl",
"lang": "Polish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała"
},
{
"code": "pt",
"lang": "Portuguese",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "é melhor prevenir do que remediar"
},
{
"code": "ru",
"lang": "Russian",
"roman": "berežónovo bog berežót",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "бережёного бог бережёт"
},
{
"code": "gd",
"lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "'s fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach"
},
{
"code": "sh",
"lang": "Serbo-Croatian",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "bolje sprečiti nego lečiti"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "más vale prevenir que curar"
},
{
"code": "es",
"lang": "Spanish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "más vale prevenir que lamentarse"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "ta det säkra före det osäkra"
},
{
"code": "sv",
"lang": "Swedish",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "man kan aldrig vara nog försiktig"
},
{
"code": "ur",
"lang": "Urdu",
"roman": "der ā'ye durust ā'ye",
"sense": "it is preferable to be cautious",
"word": "دیر آئے درست آئے"
}
],
"word": "better safe than sorry"
}
This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-04-22 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-04-21 using wiktextract (fc4f0c7 and c937495). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.
If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.