prudence

plural prudences

1. uncountableThe quality or state of being prudent: circumspection and good judgment in knowing how best to act; (countable, archaic) an instance of this.

   Prudence, like experience, must be paid for.

   1777 May 8 (first performance; rewritten a. 1817), Richard Brinsley Sheridan, “The School for Scandal: A Comedy”, in Thomas Moore, editor, The Works of the Late Right Honourable Richard Brinsley Sheridan. […], volume II, London: John Murray, […]; James Ridgway, and Thomas Wilkie, published 1821, →OCLC, Act IV, scene iii, page 104

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   [T]here are ſo many concurrencies vvhich have their attending cheques; vvhich poſſible are to be, but actually, vvere not improved in remedy that the prevalence of the Fire againſt, and in deſpight of thoſe vvonted prudences, and uſual reſiſtances, and the Latitude of effects, ſeconding ſuch a neglect of impending means, vvhere ſo vvell underſtood, and ſo dextrouſly at other times practiſed; […]

   1666 October 30 (date written; Gregorian calendar), Edward Waterhous[e], “To His Noble Friend and Kinsman, Sr. Edwarde Turno[u]r, Knight; Speaker of the Honorable House of Commons in this Present Parliament”, in A Short Narrative of the Late Dreadful Fire in London: […], London: […] W. G. for Rich[ard] Thrale […], and James Thrale […], published 1667, →OCLC, page 36

   Concerning intellectual Habits or the genuine effects of theſe acts in the underſtanding Faculty, and they are divers and diverſly expreſſed by thoſe that have treated thereof. […] Prudence, vvhich is principally in reference to actions to be done, the due means, order, ſeaſon, method of doing or not doing.

   a. 1677 (date written), Matthew Hale, “Touching the Excellency of the Humane Nature in General”, in The Primitive Origination of Mankind, Considered and Examined According to the Light of Nature, London: […] William Godbid, for William Shrowsbery, […], published 1677, →OCLC, section I, page 57

   [U]nder pretence of carrying in a pitcher of vvater, he entered the priſon, though, his prudence having prevented him from telling the ſentinel the real motive of his viſit, he vvas obliged to make his conference vvith the priſoner a very ſhort one.

   1794 May 8, Ann Radcliffe, chapter IX, in The Mysteries of Udolpho, a Romance; […], volume III, London: […] G. G. and J. Robinson, […], →OCLC, pages 277–278

   Novv as I don't much chuſe to have my girls go to theſe ſort of places often, vvhich is a prudence that I dare ſay you approve as much as myſelf, I vvould vviſh to have the moſt made of them at once; […]

   1796, [Frances Burney], “A Family Breakfast”, in Camilla: Or, A Picture of Youth. […], volume I, London: […] T[homas] Payne, […]; and T[homas] Cadell Jun. and W[illiam] Davies (successors to Mr. [Thomas] Cadell) […], →OCLC, book II, pages 187–188

   Mrs. Varden approved of this meek and forgiving spirit in high terms, and incidentally declared as a closing article of agreement, that Dolly should accompany her to the Clerkenwell branch of the association, that very night. This was an extraordinary instance of her great prudence and policy; having had this end in view from the first, and entertaining a secret misgiving that the locksmith (who was bold when Dolly was in question) would object, she had backed Miss Miggs up to this point, in order that she might have him at a disadvantage.

   1841 February–November, Charles Dickens, “Barnaby Rudge. Chapter 41.”, in Master Humphrey’s Clock, volume III, London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 174

   Synonyms: cautel, discretion, farsightedness, foresightedness, judiciousness, providence, prudentness, prudency · Antonyms: imprudence, rashness, recklessness, unprudence

2. specificallyuncountableSynonym of frugality (“the quality of avoiding unnecessary expenditure; economy, parsimony, thrift, thriftiness”).

   Synonyms: frugality

3. countableobsoleteuncountableSynonym of providence (“preparation for the future; foresight”).

   For 'tis my ſetled Opinion, that Divine Prudence is often, at leaſt, converſant in a peculiar manner about the Actions of Men, and the things that happen to Them, or have a neceſſary Connexion vvith the One, or the Other, or Both.

   1686 (indicated as 168⁵⁄₆), R[obert] B[oyle], “Sect[ion] VI”, in A Free Enquiry into the Vulgarly Receiv’d Notion of Nature; […], London: […] H. Clark, for John Taylor […], →OCLC, page 239

   Synonyms: providence

4. countableobsoleteuncountableSynonym of wisdom (“an element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise; wise advice”).

   Children here ye the fathers diſcipline, and attend that you may knovve prudence.

   1610, The Second Tome of the Holie Bible, […] (Douay–Rheims Bible), Doway: Laurence Kellam, […], →OCLC, Prouerbes 4:1, page 276

   1 more example

   [H]e [Pythagoras] vvent from Ægypt to the Perſians, (not to Perſia, as ſome conceive) and reſigned himſelf to the moſt exact prudence of the Magi, to be formed.

   1659–1660, Thomas Stanley, “[Pythagoras.] Chap[ter] V. How He Went to Babylon.”, in The History of Philosophy, the Third and Last Volume, […], volume III, London: […] Humphrey Moseley, and Thomas Dring, […], →OCLC, 1st part (Containing the Italick Sects), page 7

   Synonyms: sagacity, acuity, astuteness, clairvoyance, discernment, discrimination, gumption, insight

1. A female given name from English, one of the Puritan virtue names.

   Elisha Brabin, 36, and her children, Leo, 16, Ellis, 8, and Prudence, 7, died after a blaze "spread rapidly" inside a house on Stone Square in Bootle, Merseyside, in the early hours of Tuesday.

   2026 September 23, Rachael Lazaro, Rachel Braund, “Family tribute to 'devoted' mum and 'precious' children who died in fire”, in BBC News, archived from the original on 24 Sep 2026, retrieved 24 Sep 2026