| 释义 |
imprudence|ɪmˈpruːdəns|
[ad. L. imprūdēntia, n. of quality f. imprūdēns imprudent: see -ence. Cf. F. imprudence (Oresme, 14th c.), which may have been the immediate source.]
The quality or fact of being imprudent; want of prudence, circumspection, or discretion; indiscretion, rashness.[In Chaucer's Parson's Tale ⁋317, ‘imprudence’ is the reading in MSS. Harl. 7334, Petw. 635, Selden; but this is evidently an error: all MSS. have ‘impudent’ in the correlative ⁋323: see quot. 1386 in impudence 1.] 1541R. Copland Galyen's Terapeut. 2 B iij b, The fyrste speake ouer lyghtly and to imprudently, yf it be imprudence to afferme a thynge impossyble. c1645Howell Lett. (1650) I. vi. iii. 253 To this day the Spanish council is taxed of improvidence and imprudence, that there was no use made of the hanse towns in that expedition. 1731C'tess Suffolk in Swift's Lett. (1766) II. 143 There is an epitaph in St. Patrick's cathedral, that will be a lasting monument of your imprudence. 1831Sir J. Sinclair Corr. II. 85 Not taking those precautions against the weather.., I soon suffered for my imprudence.
b. with an and pl. An instance of this, an imprudent act.
1646–9Jer. Taylor Apol. Liturgy §95 It were a strange imprudence, choosingly, to entertain those inconveniences. 1768–74Tucker Lt. Nat. (1852) II. 361 If Eve had been deceived before by the serpent into some imprudences not criminal, she might have been aware of his wiles. 1889Lubbock Pleas. Life ii. iv. 64 Love at first sight sounds like an imprudence, and yet is almost a revelation. |