SG Heritage Dictionary

Discretion [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1828

1. Prudence, or knowledge and prudence; that discernment which enables a person to judge critically of what is correct and proper, united with caution; nice discernment and judgment, directed by circumspection, and primarily regarding ones own conduct.

2. A good man--will guide his affairs with discretion Psalms 112:5 .

3. My son, keep sound wisdom and discretion Proverbs 3:21 .

4. Liberty or power of acting without other control than ones own judgment; as, the management of affairs was left to the discretion of the prince; he is left to his own discretion Hence,

5. To surrender at discretion is to surrender without stipulation or terms, and commit ones self entirely to the power of the conqueror.

6. Disjunction; separation. [Not much used.]

Discretion [Noun] Webster's Dictionary 1913

1. Disjunction; separation.

2. The quality of being discreet; wise conduct and management; cautious discernment, especially as to matters of propriety and self-control; prudence; circumspection; wariness.

3. Discrimination.

4. Freedom to act according to one's own judgment; unrestrained exercise of choice or will.

Discretional [\N] Webster's Dictionary 1828

DISCRETIONARY, DISCRETIONAL adjective Left to discretion; unrestrained except by discretion or judgment; that is to be directed or managed by discretion only. Thus, the President of the United States is, in certain cases, invested with discretionary powers, to act according to circumstances.

Discretional Webster's Dictionary 1913

Alt. of Discretionary

Discretionally [\N] Webster's Dictionary 1828

DISCRETIONARILY, DISCRETIONALLY adverb At discretion; according to discretion.

Discretionally [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

Alt. of Discretionarily

Discretionarily [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1828

At discretion; according to discretion.

Discretionarily [Adverb] Webster's Dictionary 1913

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

Discretionary [Adjective] Webster's Dictionary 1828

Left to discretion; unrestrained except by discretion or judgment; that is to be directed or managed by discretion only. Thus, the President of the United States is, in certain cases, invested with discretionary powers, to act according to circumstances.

Discretionary Webster's Dictionary 1913

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

Will Roget’s Thesaurus §600

N. will, volition, conation, velleity, liberum arbitrium, will and pleasure, free will, freedom, discretion, option, voluntariness, spontaneity, spontaneousness, originality, pleasure, wish, mind, desire, frame of mind, intention, predetermination, selfcontrol &c. determination, force of will

V. will, list, see fit, think fit, determine, enjoin, settle, volunteer, have a will of one's own, do what one chooses, have it all one's own way, have one's will, have one's own way, use one's discretion, exercise one's discretion, take upon oneself, take one's own course, take the law into one's own hands, do of one's own accord, do upon one's own authority, originate

Adj. voluntary, volitional, willful, free, optional, discretional, discretionary, volitient, volitive, minded, prepense, intended, autocratic, unbidden &c. (bid ), spontaneous, original, unconstrained

Adv. voluntarily, at will, at pleasure, a volonte, a discretion, al piacere, ad libitum, ad arbitrium, as one thinks proper, as it seems good to, a beneplacito, of one's won accord, of one's own free will, proprio motu, suo motu, ex meromotu, out of one's own head, by choice, purposely, deliberately

Phr. stet pro ratione voluntas, sic volo sic jubeo, a vostro beneplacito, beneficium accipere libertatem est vendere, deus vult, was man nicht kann meiden muss man willig leiden

Choice Roget’s Thesaurus §609

N. choice, option, discretion, preoption, alternative, dilemma, embarras de choix, adoption, cooptation, novation, decision, election, political election (politics) 737a, selection, excerption, gleaning, eclecticism, excerpta, gleanings, cuttings, scissors and paste, pick, preference, prelation, opinion poll, survey, predilection

V. offers one's choice, set before, hold out the alternative, present the alternative, offer the alternative, put to the vote, use option, use discretion, exercise option, exercise discretion, one's option, adopt, take up, embrace, espouse, choose, elect, opt for, take one's choice, make one's choice, make choice of, fix upon, vote, poll, hold up one's hand, divide, settle, decide, list, make up one's mind, select, pick and choose, pick out, single out, cull, glean, winnow, sift the chaff from the wheat, separate the chaff from the wheat, winnow the chaff from the wheat, pick up, pitch upon, pick one's way, indulge one's fancy, set apart, mark out for, mark, prefer, have rather, have as lief, fancy, be persuaded, take a decided step, take a decisive step, commit oneself to a course, pass the rubicon, cross the rubicon, cast in one's lot with, take for better or for worse

Adj. optional, discretional, eclectic, choosing, preferential, chosen, choice

Adv. optionally, at pleasure, either the one or the other, or at the option of, whether or not, once and for all, for one's money, by choice, by preference, in preference, rather, before

Caution Roget’s Thesaurus §864

N. caution, cautiousness, discretion, prudence, cautel|, heed, circumspection, calculation, deliberation, foresight, vigilance, warning, coolness, self-possession, self-command, presence of mind, sang froid, well-regulated mind, worldly wisdom, fabian policy

V. be cautious, take care, take heed, take good care, have a care mind, what one is about, be on one's guard, "make assurance doubly sure", bespeak, think twice, look before one leaps, count the cost, look to the main chance, cut one's coat according to one's cloth, feel one's ground, feel one's way, see how the land lies, wait to see how the cat jumps, bridle one's tongue, reculer pour mieux sauter, let well alone, let well enough alone, let sleeping dogs lie, ne pas reveiller le chat qui dort, keep out of harm's way, keep out of troubled waters, keep at a respectful distance, stand aloof, keep on the safe side, be on the safe side, husband one's resources, caution

Adj. cautious, wary, guarded, on one's guard, cavendo tutus, in medio tutissimus, vigilant, careful, heedful, cautelous|, stealthy, chary, shy of, circumspect, prudent, discreet, politic, sure-footed, unenterprising, unadventurous, cool, steady, self-possessed, overcautious

Adv. cautiously

Int. have a care, phr, timeo danaos, festina lente, ante victoriam ne canas triumphum, "give, every man thine ear but few thy voice", he who laughs last laughs best, il rit bien qui rit le dernier, ni firmes carta que no leas ni bebas agua que no veas, nescit vox missa reverti, "love all, trust a few", noli irritare leones, safe bind safe find, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it"

King James Bible KJV Bible

Berean Standard Bible BSB Bible

11 KJV and 6 BSB verses contain “discretion”

Psalms 112:5

A good man sheweth favour, and lendeth: he will guide his affairs with discretion.

It is well with the man who is generous and lends freely, whose affairs are guided by justice.

Proverbs 1:4

To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

To impart prudence to the simple and knowledge and discretion to the young,

Proverbs 2:11

Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Discretion will watch over you, and understanding will guard you,

Proverbs 3:21

My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion:

My son, do not lose sight of this: Preserve sound judgment and discernment.

Proverbs 5:2

That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.

that you may maintain discretion and your lips may preserve knowledge.

Proverbs 8:12

I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.

I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence, and I find knowledge and discretion.

Proverbs 11:22

As a jewel of gold in a swine’s snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a beautiful woman who lacks discretion.

Proverbs 19:11

The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.

A man’s insight gives him patience, and his virtue is to overlook an offense.

Isaiah 28:26

For his God doth instruct him to discretion, and doth teach him.

For his God instructs and teaches him properly.

Jeremiah 10:12

He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his wisdom, and hath stretched out the heavens by his discretion.

The LORD made the earth by His power; He established the world by His wisdom and stretched out the heavens by His understanding.

Daniel 2:14

Then Daniel answered with counsel and wisdom to Arioch the captain of the king’s guard, which was gone forth to slay the wise men of Babylon:

When Arioch, the commander of the king’s guard, had gone out to execute the wise men of Babylon, Daniel replied with discretion and tact.

Sirach 26:13

The grace of a wife delighteth her husband, and her discretion will fatten his bones.

Sirach 33:29

But be not excessive toward any; and without discretion do nothing.