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priety 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.

Left to discretion; unrestrained except by discretion or judgment; as, an ambassador with discretionary powers.

At discretion; according to one's discretion or judgment.

The quality or state of being indiscreet; want of discretion; imprudence.

ular power or capacity is understood to become vested; as, the age of consent; the age of discretion. Abbott.

Pertaining to, or like, an alderman. "An aldermanly discretion." Swift.

o punish by a pecuniary penalty, the amount of which is not fixed by law, but left to the discretion of the court; as, the amerced the criminal in the sum on the hundred dollars.

The infliction of a penalty at the discretion of the court; also, a mulct or penalty thus imposed. It differs from a fine,in that the latter is, or was originally, a fixed and certain sum prescribed by statue for an offense; but an amercement is arbitrary. Hence, the act or practice of affeering. [See Affeer.] Blacksto…

Depending on will or discretion; not governed by any fixed rules; as, an arbitrary decision; an arbitrary punishment. It was wholly arbitrary in them to do so. Jer. Taylor. Rank pretends to fix the value of every one, and is the most arbitrary of all things. Landor.

cessarily, or in a thoughtless manner; to publish (secrets or trifles) without reserve or discretion. Udall. And yonder a vile physician blabbing The case of his patient. Tennyson.

eep within bounds, not to exceed or pass beyond assigned limits; to act with propriety or discretion.

A man daring beyond discretion; a bully. Hot braves like thee may fight. Dryden.

by construction or implication; to comprise; to imply. Comprehended all in this one word, Discretion. Hobbes. And if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying. Rom. xiii. 9.

To put to hazard, by some indiscretion; to endanger; to compromise; as, to compromit the honor or the safety of a nation.

costive brain." Prior. "Costive of laughter." B. Jonson. You must be frank, but without indiscretion; and close, but without being costive. Lord Chesterfield.

eth, to be sharp and knowing. [Colloq.] -- To cut one's wisdom teeth, to come to years of discretion. -- To cut under, to undersell; as, to cut under a competitor in trade. -- To cut up. (a) To cut to pieces; as, to cut up an animal, or bushes. (b) To damage or destroy; to injure; to wound; as, to cut up a book or it…

To assess a tax upon, by estimate or at discretion. [New England] J. Pickering.

To banish; to drive out; to expel. [Obs.] "Appetite flemeth discretion." Chaucer.

d among the folk, or people, at the pleasure of the lord of the manor, and resumed at his discretion. Not being held by any assurance in writing, it was opposed to bookland or charter land, which was held by deed. Mozley & W.

with, or exhibiting, folly; void of understanding; weak in intellect; without judgment or discretion; silly; unwise. I am a very foolish fond old man. Shak.