discretion
/dɪˈskɹɛʃən/ noun C1- The quality of being discreet. · Bob showed great discretion despite his knowledge of the affair.
- The ability to make wise choices or decisions.
- The freedom to make one's own judgements. · I leave that to your discretion.
- The authority to exercise one's own judgement in making decisions that have effect. · The police came and searched us at their discretion because we were shouting at each other's faces.
Plural discretions
From the library
Then the king, who, without our suspecting it, had overheard our conversation, interrupted us by saying, ‘Villefort’—observe that the king did not pronounce the word Noirtier, but, on the contrary, placed considerable emphasis on that of Villefort—‘Villefort,’ said his majesty, ‘is a young man of great judgment and discretion, who will be sure to make a figure in his profession; I like him much, and it gave me great pleasure to hear that he was about to become the son-in-law of the Marquis and Marquise de Saint-Méran.
Zeal should not outrun discretion.
"I foresaw this situation," I explained, "and I have brought with me a friend whose discretion may absolutely be trusted.
A single word showed you, sir, that your secret was discovered, and if I wrote rather than said it, it was to prove to you that my discretion was to be trusted."
Learn discretion in real texts
With a free account, hover any word in the library for its meaning, hear it read aloud, save words for review timed to your memory, and see how much of each book you already know.