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Imprudent vs Temerity - What's the difference?

imprudent | temerity |

As an adjective imprudent

is not prudent; wanting in prudence or discretion; indiscreet; injudicious; not attentive to consequence; improper.

As a noun temerity is

(not countable) reckless boldness; foolish bravery.

imprudent

English

Adjective

(en adjective)
  • Not prudent; wanting in prudence or discretion; indiscreet; injudicious; not attentive to consequence; improper.
  • * 1711 , , The Life and Acts of Matthew Parker , volume 1.
    • Here Her Majesty took a great dislike at the imprudent behavior of many of the Ministers and Readers.
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1853 , author=Mary Elizabeth Braddon , title=Phantom Fortune , chapter=3 citation , passage=‘It was a most 'imprudent thing to go up Helvellyn in such weather,’ said Fräulein Müller, shaking her head gloomily as she ate her fish.}}
  • * {{quote-book
    • , year=1864 , author=Jules Verne , title=Journey to the Interior of the Earth , chapter=3 citation , passage=My uncle, falling back into his absorbing contemplations, had already forgotten my imprudent' words. I merely say ' imprudent , for the great mind of so learned a man of course had no place for love affairs, and happily the grand business of the document gained me the victory.}}

    Synonyms

    * indiscreet, injudicious, incautious, ill-advised, unwise, heedless, careless, rash, negligent

    temerity

    English

    Noun

  • (not countable) Reckless boldness; foolish bravery.
  • * 1569 , Thomas Pearson, trans., "The Second Paradox," in The booke of Marcus Tullius Cicero entituled Paradoxa Stoicorum , T. Marshe (London),
    • Neyther the spightfull temerity and rashnes of variable fortune, nor the envious hart burning and in iurious hatred of mine enemies shold be able once to damnify me.
  • * 1837 , , The Pickwick Papers , ch. 17,
    • One day when he knew old Lobbs was out, Nathaniel Pipkin had the temerity to kiss his hand to Maria Lobbs.
  • * 1886 , , The Mayor of Casterbridge , ch. 21
    • Elizabeth trotted through the open door in the dusk, but becoming alarmed at her own temerity , she went quickly out again by another which stood open in the lofty wall of the back court.
  • * 1913 , , The Return of Tarzan , ch. 21,
    • I am surprised that you, sir, a man of letters yourself, should have the temerity so to interrupt the progress of science.
  • (countable) An act or case of reckless boldness.
  • * 1910 , , "The Blond Beast," Scribner's Magazine , vol. 48 (Sept),
    • Draper, dear lad, had the illusion of an "intellectual sympathy" between them.... Draper's temerities would always be of that kind.
  • (not countable) Effrontery; impudence.
  • * 1820 , , Precaution , ch. 30,
    • He had very nearly been guilty of the temerity of arrogating to himself another title in the presence of those he most respected.

    Synonyms

    * (reckless boldness): audacity, foolhardiness, rashness, recklessness * (effrontery): brashness, cheek, gall, chutzpah

    Related terms

    * temerarious * temerary * temerous

    References

    * * * * * " temerity" in the Wordsmyth Dictionary-Thesaurus (Wordsmyth, 2002) * " temerity" in Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary (Cambridge University Press, 2007) * * Oxford English Dictionary , second edition (1989) * Random House Webster's Unabridged Electronic Dictionary (1987-1996) * *