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Possessed of discernment, especially in avoiding error or evil, and in the adaptation of means to ends; prudent; sagacious; judicious; not rash or heedless; cautious. It is the discreet man, not the witty, nor the learned, nor the brave, who guides the conversation, and gives measures to society. Addison. Satire 's my…

Disproportional; unsuitable in form, size, quantity, or adaptation; disproportionate; inadequate. -- Dis`pro*por"tion*a*ble*ness, n. Hammond. -- Dis`pro*por"tion*a*bly, adv.

Regulative; relating to the adaptation of means to an end. Grew.

lating the distribution and uses of parts, conceived as the result of wise and economical adaptation in the author, whether human or divine; as, the animal or vegetable economy; the economy of a poem; the Jewish economy. The position which they [the verb and adjective] hold in the general economy of language. Earle. In…

The general aspect or habit of a species, or group of species, esp. with reference to its adaptation to its environment.

The state or quality of being fitted; adaptation. [Obs.] Dr. H. More.

To agree in action, adaptation, or effect on the mind; to agree in sense or purport; as, the parts of a mechanism harmonize.

The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system or combination of things, or in things, or things intended to form a connected whole; such an agreement between the different parts of a design or composition as to produce unity of effect; as, the harmony of the universe.

peculiarities, caprices, or exigencies of; to adapt one's self to; to indulge by skillful adaptation; as, to humor the mind. It is my part to invent, and the musician's to humor that invention. Dryden.

plants which have some special adaptation for catching and digesting insects, as the sundew, Venus's flytrap, Sarracenia, etc.

ion, in which nonprimitive characters make their appearance in consequence of a secondary adaptation of the embryo to the peculiar conditions of its environment; -- distinguished from palingenesis. [Written also cænogenesis.]

er and food to certain species of ants which live in symbiotic relations with it. Special adaptations for this purpose exist; thus, Acacia spadicigera has large hollows thorns, and species of Cecropia have stem cavities. -- Myr`me*co*phyt"ic (#), a.

f any means, other than the use of drugs, for the measurement of the powers of vision and adaptation of lenses for the aid thereof."

Previous fitness or adaptation to any change, impression, or purpose; susceptibility; -- applied to material things; as, the predisposition of the body to disease.

beforehand for a particular purpose, use, service, or condition; previous arrangement or adaptation; a making ready; as, the preparation of land for a crop of wheat; the preparation of troops for a campaign.

Preparing the way for anything by previous measures of adaptation; antecedent and adapted to what follows; introductory; preparative; as, a preparatory school; a preparatory condition.

The relation or adaptation of one portion to another, or to the whole, as respect magnitude, quantity, or degree; comparative relation; ratio; as, the proportion of the parts of a building, or of the body. The image of Christ, made after his own proportion. Ridley. Formed in the best proportions of her sex. Sir W. Scot…

Sir M. Hale. Prudence supposes the value of the end to be assumed, and refers only to the adaptation of the means. It is the relation of right means for given ends. Whewell.

A remaking or recasting; an adaptation, esp. of a literary work or musical composition.

A due proportion of the several parts of a body to each other; adaptation of the form or dimensions of the several parts of a thing to each other; the union and conformity of the members of a work to the whole.