word-vault/dist/data/cards/di/discretion.json

A lightweight JavaScript package for English word definitions and collections.

{
    "term": "discretion",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "academic": true,
    "ox5000": true,
    "cefr": "c1",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the freedom or power to decide what should be done in a particular situation",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "I'll leave it up to you to **use your discretion**."
                },
                {
                    "text": "How much to tell terminally ill patients is **left to the discretion of** the doctor."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘Do you want me to do the job myself or hire a photographer?’ ‘I'll leave it to your discretion.’"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Judges should be given more discretion over sentencing."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She has considerable discretion as to how the money is spent."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The courts exercise discretion in the area of minor traffic violations."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The president used his executive discretion to pardon the two men."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The school governors have absolute discretion over which pupils they admit."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They give themselves complete discretion as to what information they will hand out."
                },
                {
                    "text": "They would like local authorities to be given greater discretion as to how the money is spent."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We have discretion about how much to charge."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["broad", "considerable", "full"],
                "verb + discretion": ["have", "exercise", "use"],
                "preposition": [
                    "at somebody’s discretion",
                    "discretion  about",
                    "discretion  as to"
                ],
                "phrases": [
                    "an abuse of discretion",
                    "the exercise of discretion",
                    "leave something to somebody’s (own) discretion"
                ]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "care in what you say or do, in order to keep something secret or to avoid causing difficulty for somebody or making them feel embarrassed; the quality of being discreet",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "This is confidential, but I know that I can rely on your discretion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Jane is **the soul of discretion** *(= you can trust her)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Use the utmost discretion when you talk to her."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to conduct enquiries with discretion."
                },
                {
                    "text": "to act with discretion"
                },
                {
                    "text": "This case calls for the utmost discretion."
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Personal qualities"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["great", "the utmost"],
                "verb + discretion": ["call for", "need", "require"],
                "preposition": ["with discretion"],
                "phrases": ["a lack of discretion", "a need for discretion"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "according to what somebody decides or wishes to do",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "Bail is granted at the discretion of the court."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is no service charge and tipping is at your discretion."
                }
            ]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": null,
            "definition": "you should avoid danger and not take unnecessary risks",
            "labels": "(saying)",
            "examples": [],
            "topics": ["Danger"]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈskreʃn/",
                "audio": "di/discretion/discretion__gb_2.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/dɪˈskreʃn/",
                "audio": "di/discretion/discretion__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English (in the sense‘ to show good judgement’): via Old French from Latin discretio(n-) ‘separation’ (in late Latin ‘discernment’), from discernere, from dis- ‘apart’ + cernere ‘to separate’."
}