Word.ws English Dictionary

discretion is the better part of valour

discretion is the better part of valour proverb: it is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave, but dangerous, speech or action.

Proverb

discretion is the better part of valour

  1. It is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave, but dangerous, speech or action.
    • The better part of valour is discretion; in the which better part, I have saved my life.c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and...
    • At least there was no problem with Alison travelling on the 'wrong' train - discretion was the better part of valour for ticket checks [on a train full of football supporters].2019 October, Chris Stokes, “Between the Lines”, in Modern Railways, page 97

Forms of discretion is the better part of valour

alternative formdiscretion is the better part of valor

Origin of discretion is the better part of valour

Alteration of "The better part of valour is discretion," spoken by Falstaff in Shakespeare's Henry IV, Act V, Scene 4.

Questions about discretion is the better part of valour

What does discretion is the better part of valour mean?
Discretion is the better part of valour means it is often wise to refrain from seemingly brave, but dangerous, speech or action.
What part of speech is discretion is the better part of valour?
Discretion is the better part of valour is a proverb.

Words near discretion is the better part of valour in the dictionary

  1. discretenesses
  2. discreter
  3. discretest
  4. discretion
  5. discretion is the better part of valor
  6. discretion is the better part of valour
  7. discretional
  8. discretionalities
  9. discretionality
  10. discretionally
  11. discretionaries

Source and license

Adapted from Wiktionary: discretion is the better part of valour (page history and authors). Text available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 license. Word.ws reformatted the entry and added links. Wiktionary data of 2026-09-02.

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