Definitions
from The Century Dictionary.
- Literally, looking about in every direction; hence, cautious; careful of consequences; wary; vigilant.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- adjective Looking around every way; cautious; careful of consequences; watchful of danger.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- adjective Looking in all directions;
cautious orwatchful ofdanger .
Etymologies
Sorry, no etymologies found.
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Examples
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My guilty pleasures run a mile high – from epic fantasy tomes (Terry Brooks, Sara Douglass) to circumspective high brow romance Georgette Heyer novellas.
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The one appeared to be in a sound sleep, and the other keeping the most circumspective vigils.
The First White Man of the West Flint, Timothy, 1780-1840 1856
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On a closer inspection, however, after _walking round it_ ([Greek: periodeusantes]), or _on circumspection_, we observe it does not move, nor has it the proper colour, shape, or proportions; and now we conclude it is not a serpent; here we are determined in our belief by the [Greek: periôdeumenê phantasia], and we assent to the _circumspective phantasy_.
Historical Sketches, Volume I (of 3) The Turks in Their Relation to Europe; Marcus Tullius Cicero; Apollonius of Tyana; Primitive Christianity John Henry Newman 1845
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To school, in very deed, she had been sent; that is to say, she had all manner of teachers, first in England and then abroad, during the couple of years before the birth of her child; and by this instruction Arabella profited so notably that her language made no glaring contrast with that of the civilised world, and her mind seemed if anything more acute, more circumspective, than women's generally in the sphere to which she was now admitted.
Our Friend the Charlatan George Gissing 1880
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