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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.

edicine; as, the medical profession; medical services; a medical dictionary; medical jurisprudence.

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.

ct, or of acts, of observing; view; reflection; conclusion; judgment. In matters of human prudence, we shall find the greatest advantage in making wise observations on our conduct. I. Watts.

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

ining to punishment, to penalties, or to crimes and offenses; pertaining to criminal jurisprudence: as:

post, a post carrying a letter for a penny; also, a mail carrier. -- Penny wise, wise or prudent only in small matters; saving small sums while losing larger; -- used chiefly in the phrase, penny wise and pound foolish.

Prudence or wisdom in the management of public and private affairs; wisdom; sagacity; wit. The very policy of a hostess, finding his purse so far above his clothes, did detect him. Fuller.

; devoted to a scheme or system rather than to a principle; hence, in a good sense, wise; prudent; sagacious; and in a bad sense, artful; unscrupulous; cunning; -- said of persons. Politic with my friend, smooth with mine enemy. Shak.

o attitudinize; figuratively, to assume or affect a certain character; as, she poses as a prude. He . . . posed before her as a hero. Thackeray.

king forward; foresight; anticipation; as, a prospect of the future state. Locke. Is he a prudent man as to his temporal estate, that lays designs only for a day, without any prospect to, or provision for, the remaining part of life Tillotson.

Prudence in the management of one's concerns; economy; frugality. It is a high point of providence in a prince to cast an eye rather upon actions than persons. Quarles.

Foreseeing wants and making provision to supply them; prudent in preparing for future exigencies; cautious; economical; -- sometimes followed by of; as, aprovident man; an animal provident of the future. And of our good and of our dignity, How provident he is. Milton.

The quality or state of being provident; carefulness; prudence; economy.

Like a prude; very formal, precise, or reserved; affectedly severe in virtue; as, a prudish woman; prudish manners. A formal lecture, spoke with prudish face. Garrick.

hment; punitive. God . . . may make moral evil, as well as natural, at the same time both prudential and punitory. A. Tucker.

Prudent; wise; hence, crafty; artful; wily. [Obs.] Clerks be full subtle and full quaint. Chaucer.

ving or entering on a project or measure without due deliberation and caution; opposed to prudent; said of persons; as, a rash statesman or commander.

pers. An orderly life so far as others are able to observe us is now and then produced by prudential motives or by dint of habit; but without seriousness there can be no religious principle at the bottom, no course of conduct from religious motives; in a word, there can be no religion. Paley. Religion [was] not, as too…