err on the side of

Meaning: (transitive,idiomatic)Tobehavein a manner whichfavoursor which isbiasedtoward.1849,James Fenimore Cooper, chapter 15, inThe Sea Lions:Every man would prefer that the woman in whom he feels an interest shoulderr on the side ofbigotry rather than on that of what is called liberalism in points of religious belief.1890February,A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “Sherlock Holmes Gives a Demonstration”, inThe Sign of Four(Standard Library), London: Spencer Blackett[…],→OCLC,page89:My case is, as I have told you, almost complete; but we must noterr on the side ofover-confidence.1893, George Gissing, “Discord of Leaders”, inThe Odd Women[…], volume II, London:Lawrence & Bullen[…],→OCLC,page68:But perhaps you tend toerr on the side ofseverity. Perhaps you make too little allowance for human weakness.1914,Arthur Quiller-Couch, “On Style”, inOn the Art of Writing:Let userr, then, if we err,on the side ofliberty.1922February,James Joyce, “[Episode 13: Nausicaa]”, inUlysses, Paris:Shakespeare and Company,[…],→OCLC, part II[Odyssey],page347:She loved to read poetry and when she got a keepsake from Bertha Supple of that lovely confession album with the coralpink cover to write her thoughts in she laid it in the drawer of her toilettable which, though it did noterr on the side ofluxury, was scrupulously neat and clean.; To choose which mistake (err) will be perpetuated when all available options would result in different mistakes.

Examples:

EN: It used to be thought, and I was inclined to agree, that such mistakes were forgivable because, unlike the enemy, we err on the side of decency and trust.
ES: Es verdad. Antes se creía, y yo me inclinaba por eso que esos errores se podían perdonar porque, a diferencia del enemigo, nosotros erramos del lado de la decencia.
EN: In a case like this, I think we should err on the side of caution.
ES: Por tanto, creo que en un caso así debemos pecar de precavidos.
EN: Well, we certainly want to err on the side of caution.
ES: Bueno, preferimos pecar de prudentes.
EN: I mean if you have to err, err on the side of the length. You know what I mean?
ES: Sise equivoca, que sea de largo, ¿entiende?
EN: Maybe we don't need the village but then again maybe we do, and i think we err on the side of caution this time Captain Doyle
ES: Quizás la necesitemos, quizás no. Hay que ser precavidos con esto.
EN: Normally, go for a third opinion or err on the side of caution.
ES: Normalmente, buscar una tercera opinión o pecar de prudente.
EN: I'd rather err on the side of caution.
ES: Yo me decantaría por la precaución.
EN: I'd rather err on the side of indulgence.
ES: Prefiero equivocarme desde el lado de la indulgencia.
EN: It's best to err on the side of caution, Bernard.
ES: Es mejor que cuestionarla Bernard.
EN: It's best to err on the side of caution.
ES: Más vale prevenir.
EN: Not that I have to tell you that. But this one might actually err on the side of edible.
ES: No tengo que decírselos pero esto podría ser casi comestible.
EN: Although I'd like to agree with you concerning custody... I'm on a slippery slope, and I'd rather err on the side of caution.
ES: Aunque quiera estar de acuerdo sobre la custodia estoy en terreno resbaladizo y prefiero equivocarme con cautela.
EN: But I think we should err on the side of caution.
ES: Pero creo que deberíamos cuidarnos un poco.
EN: I'm going to err on the side of caution.
ES: - Haré lugar a una medida cautelar.
EN: But if you want to err on the side of safety...
ES: Pero si quieres estar del lado seguro...

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