discretion

To act or behave recklessly and/or fearlessly, with no sense of restraint or propriety. (An older variant of the now more common "throw caution to the wind(s).") After my father won a bit of money at the race tracks, he began throwing discretion to the winds and ended up gambling away everything we had. You can't live life completely reserved, you know—you've got to throw discretion to the wind every now and then.

Prov. It is good to be brave, but it is also good to be careful.; If you are careful, you will not get into situations that require you to be brave. Son: Can I go hang gliding with my friends? Father: No. Son: But they'll say I'm chicken if I don't go! Father: Discretion is the better part of valor, and I'd rather have them call you chicken than risk your life.

Prov. Knowing when to refrain from making jokes is better than being able to make jokes all the time. Mabel makes fun of everybody, regardless of whether or not she hurts their feelings. Someone should tell her that an ounce of discretion is worth a pound of wit.

something that you say which means that it is better to be careful and think before you act than it is to be brave and take risks She decided not to voice her opposition to the Chairman's remarks. Perhaps discretion was the better part of valour.

to be good at not talking about things that other people want to keep secret As regards Nigel, he's the soul of discretion. I'm quite sure he won't mention this to anyone.

It is better to be prudent than merely courageous, as in I'm signing up for the easy course first; discretion is the better part of valor. This proverb, a synonym of look before you leap, was first recorded in 1477. Charles Churchill put it in poetic form: "Even in a hero's heart, Discretion is the better part" ( The Ghost, 1762). Shakespeare also used a form of it: "The better part of valor is discretion" ( 1 Henry IV, 5:4).

Also, throw discretion to the winds. Behave or speak very rashly, as in Throwing caution to the winds, he ran after the truck, or I'm afraid she's thrown discretion to the winds and told everyone about the divorce. This expression uses to the winds in the sense of "utterly vanishing" or "out of existence," a usage dating from the mid-1600s. The first recorded use of throw to the winds was in 1885.