Discretion is the better part of valor

Cultural  

1. Caution is preferable to rash bravery. Said by Falstaff in King Henry the Fourth, Part One, by William Shakespeare.

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discretion is the better part of valor Idioms  

1. 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).

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Example Sentences

“Discretion is the better part of valor,” she admits, not entirely convinced herself.

From Washington Post

She goes ahead with the wedding, deciding that discretion is the better part of valor.

From New York Times

“When you inject the director of the FBI into the mix, even though that’s the expectation as the head of the agency, this situation is so volatile that I think they probably said, ‘Discretion is the better part of valor,’ and let’s just let” other officials handle it.

From Seattle Times

During a pandemic, discretion is the better part of valor, said Pauline Frommer, editorial director for Frommers.com and Frommers’ travel guidebooks.

From Washington Times

When you’ve reached the develop-and-evaluate portion of a lost season, discretion is the better part of valor.

From Washington Times