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Sober; prudent; sedate; modest. [Scot.] And this is a douce, honest man. Sir W. Scott.

r party to another, directing the payment of money; a bill of exchange. I thought it most prudent to deter the drafts till advice was received of the progress of the loan. A. Hamilton.

To be prudently sparing in expenditure; to be frugal and saving; as, to economize in order to grow rich. [Written also economise.] Milton.

; also, that which manifests, excites, or increases, affection. "The great endearments of prudent and temperate speech." Jer. Taylor. Her first endearments twining round the soul. Thomson.

To see beforehand; to have prescience of; to foreknow. A prudent man foreseeth the evil. Prov. xxii. 3.

Sagacious; prudent; provident for the future. Bartram.

The quality of being frugal; prudent economy; that careful management of anything valuable which expends nothing unnecessarily, and applies what is used to a profitable purpose; thrift; --- opposed to extravagance. Frugality is founded on the principle that all riches have limits. Burke.

Thriftily; prudently.

character, influence, etc. Most potent, grave, and reverend seigniors. Shak. A grave and prudent law, full of moral equity. Milton.

To hide one's self, to put one's self in a condition to be safe; to secure protection. "A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself." Prov. xxii. 3. -- To hide the face, to withdraw favor. "Thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled." Ps. xxx. 7. -- To hide the face from. (a) To overlook; to pardon. "Hide…

Pertaining or appropriate to a housewife; domestic; economical; prudent. A good sort of woman, ladylike and housewifely. Sir W. Scott.

Like a huswife; capable; economical; prudent. -- adv.

Not politic; contrary to, or wanting in, policy; unwise; imprudent; indiscreet; inexpedient; as, an impolitic ruler, law, or measure. The most unjust and impolitic of all things, unequal taxation. Burke.

The quality or state of being imprudent; want to caution, circumspection, or a due regard to consequences; indiscretion; inconsideration; reshness; also, an imprudent act; as, he was guilty of an imprudence. His serenity was interrupted, perhaps, by his own imprudence. Mickle.

Directed or governed by sound judgment; having sound judgment; wise; prudent; sagacious; discreet. He is noble, wise, judicious, and best knows The fits o' the season. Shak.

A gift; a gratuity; -- sometimes in the plural; as, a prudent man is not impoverished by his liberalities.

ss or confidence; hence, sometimes, to meet for combat. -- To look out, to seek for; as, prudent persons look out associates good reputation.

s to an end; an act designed for the accomplishment of an object; as, political measures; prudent measures; an inefficient measure. His majesty found what wrong measures he had taken in the conferring that trust, and lamented his error. Clarendon.

inion of others or of another; a spokesman; as, the mouthpiece of his party. Egmont was imprudent enough to make himself the mouthpiece of their remonstrance. Motley.

Too cautious; cautious or prudent to excess. -- O"ver*cau"tious*ly, adv. -- O"ver*cau"tiou*ness, n.