Dictionary

better safe than sorry en · X

Pronunciation

• (General-American) audio

Meanings

1. It is preferable to be cautious in one's choices and actions than to act recklessly and suffer afterwards.
   • But I'll be stumbling away / Slowly learning that life is OK / Say after me / It's no better to be safe than sorry 1985, Paul Waaktaar-Savoy, “Take On Me”, in Hunting High and Low, performed by a-ha:
   • 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. 1947 September and October, Cecil J. Allen, “British Locomotive Practice and Performance”, in Railway Magazine, page 320:

Relateds

err on the side of caution · measure twice, cut once · play it safe · better late than never · prevention is better than cure

Translations (46)

sv man kan aldrig vara nog försiktig (it is preferable to be cautious) · de Vorsicht ist besser als Nachsicht (it is preferable to be cautious) · az ehtiyat igidin yaraşığıdır (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms بيار لمبت اصلکن سلامت (it is preferable to be cautious) · ga is fearr glas ná amhras (it is preferable to be cautious) · sv ta det säkra före det osäkra (it is preferable to be cautious) · it meglio prevenire che curare (it is preferable to be cautious) · gd 's fheàrr a bhith cinnteach na caillteach (it is preferable to be cautious) · es más vale prevenir que curar (it is preferable to be cautious) · ru сказа́л бы слове́чко, да волк недале́чко (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms biar lambat asalkan selamat (it is preferable to be cautious) · vi cẩn tắc vô ưu, vô áy náy (it is preferable to be cautious) · fi parempi katsoa kuin katua (it is preferable to be cautious) · ru лу́чше перебде́ть, чем недобде́ть (it is preferable to be cautious) · pl żeby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms sesal dahulu pendapatan, sesal kemudian tak berguna (it is preferable to be cautious) · ja 転ばぬ先の杖 (it is preferable to be cautious) · bg който сам се пази и Бог го пази (it is preferable to be cautious) · ru бережёного бог бережёт (it is preferable to be cautious) · fi varmuus on aina paras (it is preferable to be cautious) · it la prudenza non è mai troppa (it is preferable to be cautious) · vi cẩn tắc vô ưu (it is preferable to be cautious) · cmn 小心駛得萬年船 /小心驶得万年船 (it is preferable to be cautious) · is það er betra að hafa vaðið fyrir neðan sig (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms ايڠت سبلوم کنا, جيمت سبلوم هابيس (it is preferable to be cautious) · pt é melhor prevenir do que remediar (it is preferable to be cautious) · fi parempi virsta väärää kuin vaaksa vaaraa (it is preferable to be cautious) · is allur er varinn góður (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms ingat sebelum kena, jimat sebelum habis (it is preferable to be cautious) · es más vale prevenir que lamentarse (it is preferable to be cautious) · no bedre føre var enn etter snar (it is preferable to be cautious) · hu jobb félni, mint megijedni (it is preferable to be cautious) · pl lepiej dmuchać na zimne (it is preferable to be cautious) · ru осторо́жность никогда́ не быва́ет ли́шней (it is preferable to be cautious) · fr mieux vaut prévenir que guérir (it is preferable to be cautious) · pl gdyby kózka nie skakała, toby nóżki nie złamała (it is preferable to be cautious) · el κάλλιο γαϊδουρόδενε παρά γαϊδουρογύρευε (it is preferable to be cautious) · ur دیر آئے درست آئے (it is preferable to be cautious) · ms سسل دهولو ڤنداڤتن, سسل کمودين تق برݢونا (it is preferable to be cautious) · mk двапати мери, еднаш сечи (it is preferable to be cautious) · mk подобро спречи, отколку лечи (it is preferable to be cautious) · pl strzeżonego Pan Bóg strzeże (it is preferable to be cautious) · vi cẩn tắc vô áy náy (it is preferable to be cautious) · fo betur fyrivarin enn eftirsnarin (it is preferable to be cautious) · he עדיף להיזהר מלהצטער (it is preferable to be cautious) · sh bolje sprečiti nego lečiti (it is preferable to be cautious)