All 7 Uses of
expedient
in
Jane Eyre
- — unjust!" said my reason, forced by the agonising stimulus into precocious though transitory power: and Resolve, equally wrought up, instigated some strange expedient to achieve escape from insupportable oppression — as running away, or, if that could not be effected, never eating or drinking more, and letting myself die.†
p. 19.1expedient = convenient, speedy, or practical; or an action that is speedy or practical
- I bethought myself of an expedient.†
p. 177.6
- Cudgel your brains for an expedient.†
p. 307.8
- I was not fond of pampering that susceptible vanity of his; but for once, and from motives of expediency, I would e'en soothe and stimulate it.
p. 312.7 *expediency = speed or practicality
- "I can keep you in reasonable check now," I reflected; "and I don't doubt to be able to do it hereafter: if one expedient loses its virtue, another must be devised."†
p. 316.5expedient = convenient, speedy, or practical; or an action that is speedy or practical
- I did say so; and it is the name by which I think it expedient to be called at present, but it is not my real name, and when I hear it, it sounds strange to me.†
p. 399.9
- I found or devised something for you three weeks ago; but as you seemed both useful and happy here — as my sisters had evidently become attached to you, and your society gave them unusual pleasure — I deemed it inexpedient to break in on your mutual comfort till their approaching departure from Marsh End should render yours necessary.†
p. 406.3inexpedient = not practicalstandard prefix: The prefix "in-" in inexpedient means not and reverses the meaning of expedient. This is the same pattern you see in words like invisible, incomplete, and insecure.
Definitions:
-
(1)
(expedient) convenient and practical, but sometimes not the best or most moral choice
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, expedient can also imply that an action was taken for reasons of self-interest rather than for moral reasons.
In the sense of speedy, the word is less commonly used today than in the past; though it may still be used as in "an expedient end" or "an expedient amount of time," or "We are depending upon your expediency."