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expedient

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expedient


  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Expedient  \Ex*pe"di*ent\,  n. 
  1.  That  which  serves  to  promote  or  advance;  suitable  means  to 
  accomplish  an  end 
 
  What  sure  expedient  than  shall  Juno  find  To  calm 
  her  fears  and  ease  her  boding  mind?  --Philips. 
 
  2.  Means  devised  in  an  exigency;  shift. 
 
  Syn:  Shift;  contrivance;  resource;  substitute. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Expedient  \Ex*pe"di*ent\a.  [L.  expediens,  -entis,  p.  pr  of 
  expedire  to  be  expedient,  release,  extricate:  cf  F. 
  exp['e]dient.  See  {Expedite}.] 
  1.  Hastening  or  forward;  hence  tending  to  further  or  promote 
  a  proposed  object;  fit  or  proper  under  the  circumstances; 
  conducive  to  self-interest;  desirable;  advisable; 
  advantageous;  --  sometimes  contradistinguished  from  right 
 
  It  is  expedient  for  you  that  I  go  away  --John  xvi. 
  7. 
 
  Nothing  but  the  right  can  ever  be  expedient,  since 
  that  can  never  be  true  expediency  which  would 
  sacrifice  a  greater  good  to  a  less  --Whately. 
 
  2.  Quick;  expeditious.  [Obs.] 
 
  His  marches  are  expedient  to  this  town.  --Shak. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  expedient 
  adj  1:  serving  to  promote  your  interest;  "was  merciful  only  when 
  mercy  was  expedient"  [ant:  {inexpedient}] 
  2:  appropriate  to  a  purpose;  practical;  "in  the  circumstances 
  it  was  expedient  to  express  loyalty" 
  n  :  a  means  to  an  end  not  necessarily  a  principled  or  ethical 
  one 




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