an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

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English

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Alternative forms

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Proverb

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an ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure

  1. It is better to prevent a disease than to have to cure it.
  2. (idiomatic, by extension) Precaution and prevention of an undesirable thing is preferable to dealing with its potential consequences.
    • 1786, J. Z. Holwell, A new experiment for the prevention of crimes:
      It has been said, that the wisdom of a nation is seen in the spirit of their common sayings and proverbs; ours has one in point to the present purpose, that the ounce of prevention is more worth than the pound of cure.

Translations

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See also

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