prudent

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pru·dent

(pro͞od′nt)

adj.

1. Careful or wise in handling practical matters; exercising good judgment or common sense: a prudent manager of money.

2. Characterized by or resulting from care or wisdom in practical matters or in planning for the future: a prudent investment.

[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin prūdēns, prūdent-, contraction of prōvidēns, present participle of prōvidēre, to provide for; see provide.]

pru′dence (pro͞od′ns) n.

pru′dent·ly adv.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

prudent

(ˈpruːdənt)

adj

1. discreet or cautious in managing one's activities; circumspect

2. practical and careful in providing for the future

3. exercising good judgment or common sense

[C14: from Latin prūdēns far-sighted, contraction of prōvidens acting with foresight; see provident]

ˈprudently adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

pru•dent

(ˈprud nt)

adj.

1. wise or judicious in practical affairs.

2. discreet or circumspect; cautious.

3. careful in providing for the future; provident.

[1350–1400; Middle English < Latin prūdent- (s. of prūdēns), contraction of prōvidēns provident]

pru′dent•ly, adv.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.

prudent - careful and sensible; marked by sound judgment; "a prudent manager"; "prudent rulers"; "prudent hesitation"; "more prudent to hide than to fight"

careful - exercising caution or showing care or attention; "they were careful when crossing the busy street"; "be careful to keep her shoes clean"; "did very careful research"; "careful art restorers"; "careful of the rights of others"; "careful about one's behavior"

provident - providing carefully for the future; "wild squirrels are provident"; "a provident father plans for his children's education"

responsible - worthy of or requiring responsibility or trust; or held accountable; "a responsible adult"; "responsible journalism"; "a responsible position"; "the captain is responsible for the ship's safety"; "the cabinet is responsible to the parliament"

wise - having or prompted by wisdom or discernment; "a wise leader"; "a wise and perceptive comment"

imprudent - not prudent or wise; "very imprudent of her mother to encourage her in such silly romantic ideas"; "would be imprudent for a noneconomist to talk about the details of economic policy"- A.M.Schlesinger

prudent

adjective

1. cautious, careful, wary, discreet, canny, vigilant, circumspect He is taking a prudent and cautious approach.
cautious rash, careless, thoughtless, indiscreet, inconsiderate, heedless

2. wise, politic, sensible, sage, shrewd, discerning, judicious, sagacious We believed ours was the prudent and responsible course of action.
wise irrational, unwise, imprudent, injudicious, impolitic

3. thrifty, economical, sparing, careful, canny, provident, frugal, far-sighted In private, she is prudent and even frugal.
thrifty extravagant, careless, wasteful, imprudent, improvident

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

prudent

adjective

1. Possessing, proceeding from, or exhibiting good judgment and prudence:

balanced, commonsensible, commonsensical, judicious, levelheaded, rational, reasonable, sagacious, sage, sane, sapient, sensible, sound, well-founded, well-grounded, wise.

2. Careful in the use of material resources:

canny, chary, economical, frugal, provident, saving, Scotch, sparing, thrifty.

3. Trying attentively to avoid danger, risk, or error:

careful, cautious, chary, circumspect, forehanded, gingerly, wary.

Translations

عاقِل، حَكيم، حَذِر

moudrýopatrný

forsigtigklog

klug vorsichtigFröde

συνετός

prudente sabio

prudent raisonnable sage

körültekintõ

skynsamur

prudente avveduto giudizioso

apdairiaiapdairus

apdomīgspiesardzīgs

akıllıcaihtiyatlı

谨慎的

prudent

[ˈpruːdənt] ADJ → cauteloso, prudente

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

prudent

[ˈpruːd^ənt] adj → prudent(e)
it is prudent to do sth → il est prudent de faire qch
She was prudent enough to destroy the letter → Elle fut assez prudente pour détruire la lettre.
He considered it prudent to carry a revolver → Il considérait qu'il était prudent de porter un revolver.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

prudent

adj person → umsichtig; measure, action, decision → klug; answer → wohlüberlegt; I thought it prudent to change the subject → ich hielt es für klüger, das Thema zu wechseln; how prudent! → sehr klug or weise!; that was the prudent thing to do → es war klug, das zu tun

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

prudent

[ˈpruːd/ənt] adj → prudente

prudent

(ˈpruːdənt) adjective

wise and careful. a prudent person/attitude.

ˈprudently adverb

ˈprudence noun

wisdom and caution.

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References in classic literature ?

It may be taken for granted that, rash as the Americans usually are, when they are prudent there is good reason for it.

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Starbuck, is by far the most careful and prudent. I suppose then, that going plump on a flying whale with your sail set in a foggy squall is the height of a whaleman's discretion?

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For good fortune is something different from happiness, as every good which depends not on the mind is owing to chance or fortune; but it is not from fortune that any one is wise and just: hence it follows, that that city is happiest which is the best and acts best: for no one can do well who acts not well; nor can the deeds either of man or city be praiseworthy without virtue and wisdom; for whatsoever is just, or wise, or prudent in a man, the same things are just, wise, and prudent in a city.

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The engagement which you were eager to form a fortnight ago is no longer compatible with your views, and I rejoice to find that the prudent advice of your parents has not been given in vain.

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A valiant warrior doubtless, but a prudent one too, was this same Rear-Admiral Du Petit Thouars.

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"Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes." So Levin thought about his wife as he talked to her that evening.

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The term of nine years appears to be a prudent mediocrity between a total exclusion of adopted citizens, whose merits and talents may claim a share in the public confidence, and an indiscriminate and hasty admission of them, which might create a channel for foreign influence on the national councils.

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His mind has a soil deep and fertile, Out of which spring his prudent counsels.

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And I know that every one will confess that it would be most praiseworthy in a prince to exhibit all the above qualities that are considered good; but because they can neither be entirely possessed nor observed, for human conditions do not permit it, it is necessary for him to be sufficiently prudent that he may know how to avoid the reproach of those vices which would lose him his state; and also to keep himself, if it be possible, from those which would not lose him it; but this not being possible, he may with less hesitation abandon himself to them.

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When her master was departed, Mrs Deborah stood silent, expecting her cue from Miss Bridget; for as to what had past before her master, the prudent housekeeper by no means relied upon it, as she had often known the sentiments of the lady in her brother's absence to differ greatly from those which she had expressed in his presence.

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Some, such as those of Paris, Petersburg, Berlin, Stockholm, Hamburg, Malta, Lisbon, Benares, Madras, and others, transmitted their good wishes; the rest maintained a prudent silence, quietly awaiting the result.

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When we were somewhat recovered from the overpowering Effusions of our grief, Edward desired that we would consider what was the most prudent step to be taken in our unhappy situation while he repaired to his imprisoned freind to lament over his misfortunes.