CANDOUR

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does candour mean? 

• CANDOUR (noun)
  The noun CANDOUR has 2 senses:

1. the quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech

2. ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty

  Familiarity information: CANDOUR used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• CANDOUR (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The quality of being honest and straightforward in attitude and speech

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

candidness; candor; candour; directness; forthrightness; frankness

Hypernyms ("candour" is a kind of...):

honestness; honesty (the quality of being honest)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "candour"):

ingenuousness (openly straightforward or frank)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Ability to make judgments free from discrimination or dishonesty

Classified under:

Nouns denoting cognitive processes and contents

Synonyms:

candor; candour; fair-mindedness; fairness

Hypernyms ("candour" is a kind of...):

impartiality; nonpartisanship (an inclination to weigh both views or opinions equally)

 Context examples 

Like yourself, in the candour of your nature, she returned; and therefore I would write to those two ladies.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

And, as truth always forces its way into rational minds, so this honest worthy gentleman, who had some tincture of learning, and very good sense, was immediately convinced of my candour and veracity.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Interpret my words with candour and answer me, I conjure you, with confidence and sincerity.

(Frankenstein, by Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley)

If I made myself intelligible yesterday, this letter will be expected; but expected or not, I know it will be read with candour and indulgence.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

And if they really DO interest themselves, said Marianne, in her new character of candour, in bringing about a reconciliation, I shall think that even John and Fanny are not entirely without merit.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

I, who have valued myself on my abilities! who have often disdained the generous candour of my sister, and gratified my vanity in useless or blameable mistrust!

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

However, I mentally shake hands with you for your answer, despite its inaccuracy; and as much for the manner in which it was said, as for the substance of the speech; the manner was frank and sincere; one does not often see such a manner: no, on the contrary, affectation, or coldness, or stupid, coarse-minded misapprehension of one's meaning are the usual rewards of candour.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

'We must persuade Henry to marry her,' said she; 'and what with honour, and the certainty of having shut himself out for ever from Fanny, I do not despair of it. Fanny he must give up. I do not think that even he could now hope to succeed with one of her stamp, and therefore I hope we may find no insuperable difficulty. My influence, which is not small shall all go that way; and when once married, and properly supported by her own family, people of respectability as they are, she may recover her footing in society to a certain degree. In some circles, we know, she would never be admitted, but with good dinners, and large parties, there will always be those who will be glad of her acquaintance; and there is, undoubtedly, more liberality and candour on those points than formerly. What I advise is, that your father be quiet. Do not let him injure his own cause by interference. Persuade him to let things take their course. If by any officious exertions of his, she is induced to leave Henry's protection, there will be much less chance of his marrying her than if she remain with him.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)

I wish you could have heard how she talked of it—with what candour and generosity.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I may venture to say that HIS observations have stretched much further than your candour.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)