exercise ordinary care

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "exercise ordinary care" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used in legal or professional contexts to indicate the need for a reasonable level of caution or attention in a given situation. Example: "As a property owner, you must exercise ordinary care to ensure the safety of your guests."

✓ Grammatically correct

Academia

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

If the person paying the instrument or taking it for value or for collection fails to exercise ordinary care in paying or taking the instrument and that failure substantially contributes to loss resulting from the fraud, the person bearing the loss may recover from the person failing to exercise ordinary care to the extent the failure to exercise ordinary care contributed to the loss.

Cornell University

Under the law, a health plan can be required to pay damages if it fails to exercise "ordinary care" in treating patients.

The New York Times

Under Mr. Fletcher's bill, patients could sue health plans in federal court for certain injuries caused by a health plan's failure to exercise "ordinary care".

The New York Times

If a patient was injured because of a health plan's failure to exercise "ordinary care," the patient could sue under state law for economic damages and pain and suffering.

The New York Times

The defendants could be held liable, in federal jury trials, if they failed to exercise "ordinary care" in making claims decisions or in performing their duties under the terms of a health plan.

The New York Times

1977) 565 F.2d 650 confirms our conclusion that defendant's potential liability under the facts of this case flows directly from a school district's familiar duty to exercise ordinary care in supervising students on school premises.

Harvard University

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

"You have to use ordinary care in the exercise of your duties," Moran said.

The Guardian

It can also impose a 5% tax on "jeopardy investments" for failing to "exercise ordinary business care and prudence".

Forbes

"We cannot conclude that [Taylor] exercised ordinary business care and prudence with respect to her 1998, 2000 and 2001 tax liabilities," Marvel wrote, adding that the IRS gave Taylor "ample opportunity to rectify her tax failure".

Forbes

Defendant assigns error to the giving of numerous instructions based upon the rules of the road, and the failure to instruct, under RCW 46.61.030 as it existed prior to amendment in 1969, that the rules of the road were inapplicable and only ordinary care need be exercised.

Harvard University

* * * Ordinary care as applied to use of a dangerous instrumentality, however, generally imports the rule that the care exercised must be proportionate to the danger, and hence ordinary care in regard to a dangerous instrumentality necessarily implies the requirement of a great or high degree, if not the greatest or highest degree, of care". 57A Am.Jur.2d Negligence § 313 (1989).

Harvard University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "exercise ordinary care" when you want to emphasize the importance of acting as a reasonably prudent person would under similar circumstances.

Common error

Avoid replacing "exercise ordinary care" with phrases that imply a higher standard of care than is legally or ethically required. Using terms that suggest absolute safety or perfection can create unrealistic expectations and potential liability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "exercise ordinary care" primarily functions as a verb phrase indicating the action of performing or demonstrating a standard level of caution and responsibility. Ludwig AI confirms its usability and legal context.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Academia

40%

News & Media

30%

Science

10%

Less common in

Wiki

10%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "exercise ordinary care" is a grammatically sound phrase that commonly appears in legal and professional contexts, signifying the act of taking reasonable precautions. Ludwig AI confirms this. While not exceptionally common, its use is important in situations where a standard level of care is expected to prevent harm. Related phrases include "practice due diligence" and "take reasonable precautions". When using the phrase, ensure that 'ordinary care' is well-defined and avoid implying a higher standard than necessary.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

demonstrate reasonable care

Synonymous, but emphasizes showing or proving that care.

apply due caution

Focuses on the application of carefulness.

practice due diligence

Emphasizes thoroughness and investigation before taking action, rather than just general care.

take reasonable precautions

Focuses on preventative measures taken in advance.

proceed with caution

Highlights a careful approach to a specific action or task.

act with prudence

Highlights wise and careful behavior, shifting from action to inherent quality.

ensure proper oversight

Focuses on the act of supervising to maintain safety and correctness.

be mindful of risks

Highlights awareness and consideration of potential dangers.

handle with care

Implies careful and gentle handling of something delicate.

maintain vigilance

Emphasizes ongoing watchfulness and attentiveness.

FAQs

How to use "exercise ordinary care" in a sentence?

You can use "exercise ordinary care" when describing a duty to act reasonably and prudently in a given situation. For example: "A landlord must "exercise ordinary care" to maintain safe premises for tenants."

What is an alternative to "exercise ordinary care"?

Alternatives include "practice due diligence", "take reasonable precautions", or "act with prudence" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

What does it mean to "exercise ordinary care"?

To "exercise ordinary care" means to act with the same level of care and caution that a reasonably prudent person would use under similar circumstances. It's a standard often used in legal contexts to determine negligence.

In what situations is it important to "exercise ordinary care"?

It's crucial to "exercise ordinary care" in any situation where your actions could potentially harm others, such as in healthcare, property management, or financial advising. Failure to do so could result in legal liability.