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Cautious in speaking; secret; wary; uncommunicative.

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 weapon, but I 'm too discreet To run amuck, and tilt at all I meet.…

The quality of being discreet; wise conduct and management; cautious discernment, especially as to matters of propriety and self- control; prudence; circumspection; wariness. The better part of valor is discretion. Shak. The greatest parts without discretion may be fatal to their owner. Hume.

To bestow or communicate by a suggestion; to let fall in an indirect, cautious, or gentle manner; as, to drop hint, a word of counsel, etc.

To move by little and little or cautiously, as by pressing forward edgewise; as, edging their chairs forwards. Locke.

Excessively careful; cautious. [Obs.] No men are so envious of their health. Jer. Taylor. -- En"vi*ous*ly, adv. -- En"vi*ous*ness, n.

pertaining to, or in the manner of, the Roman general, Quintus Fabius Maximus Verrucosus; cautious; dilatory; avoiding a decisive contest. Fabian policy, a policy like that of Fabius Maximus, who, by carefully avoiding decisive contests, foiled Hannibal, harassing his army by marches, countermarches, and ambuscades; a…

Cautiously; timidly; fastidiously; daintily. What is't that you took up so gingerly Shak.

Cautiousness; tenderness.

Cautious; wary; circumspect; as, he was guarded in his expressions; framed or uttered with caution; as, his expressions were guarded. -- Guard"edly, adv. -- Guard"ed*ness, n.

Full of heed; regarding with care; cautious; circumspect; attentive; vigilant. Shak. -- Heed"ful*ly, adv. -- Heed"ful*ness, n.

hisper, and hint, and chuckle. Tennyson. To hint at, to allude to lightly, indirectly, or cautiously.

A profound secret; something wholly unknown, or something kept cautiously concealed, and therefore exciting curiosity or wonder; something which has not been or can not be explained; hence, specifically, that which is beyond human comprehension. We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery. 1 Cor. ii. 7. If God should pleas…

To bite upon something gently or cautiously; to eat a little of a thing, as by taking small bits cautiously; as, fishes nibble at the bait. Instead of returning a full answer to my book, he manifestly falls a- nibbling at one single passage. Tillotson.

In a nibbling manner; cautiously.

Too wary; too cautious.

Proceeding step by step; advancing cautiously. [R.] That pedetentous pace and pedetentous mind in which it behooves the wise and virtuous improver to walk. Sydney Smith.

To look cautiously or slyly; to peer, as through a crevice; to pry. eep through the blanket of the dark. Shak. From her cabined loophole peep. Milton. Peep sight, an adjustable piece, pierced with a small hole to peep through in aiming, attached to a rifle or other firearm near the breech.

ive proof; indirect or circumstantial evidence. "Presumptive evidence of felony should be cautiously admitted." Blackstone. The distinction, however, between direct and presumptive (or circumstantial) evidence is now generally abandoned; all evidence being now more or less direct and more or less presumptive. -- Presu…

tuous commander; presumptuous conduct. A class of presumptuous men, whom age has not made cautious, nor adversity wise. Buckminster.