All 5 Uses of
discretion
in
Jane Eyre
- …in the course of your future life you will often find yourself elected the involuntary confidant of your acquaintances' secrets: people will instinctively find out, as I have done, that it is not your forte to tell of yourself, but to listen while others talk of themselves; they will feel, too, that you listen with no malevolent scorn of their indiscretion, but with a kind of innate sympathy; not the less comforting and encouraging because it is very unobtrusive in its manifestations."†
Chpt 14
- The confidence he had thought fit to repose in me seemed a tribute to my discretion: I regarded and accepted it as such.†
Chpt 15
- What if a former caprice (a freak very possible to a nature so sudden and headstrong as his) has delivered him into her power, and she now exercises over his actions a secret influence, the result of his own indiscretion, which he cannot shake off, and dare not disregard?†
Chpt 16 *
- I wish to remind you that it was you who first said to me, with that discretion I respect in you — with that foresight, prudence, and humility which befit your responsible and dependent position — that in case I married Miss Ingram, both you and little Adele had better trot forthwith.†
Chpt 23
- One never knows what she has, sir: she is so cunning: it is not in mortal discretion to fathom her craft.†
Chpt 26 *
Definitions:
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(discretion as in: It is within her discretion.) the right to make a decision (and perhaps accompanying good judgment)
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(discretion as in: embarrassing lack of discretion) behavior that does not attract undesired attention or reveal private information