Literary notes about Enterprising (AI summary)
In literature, the term "enterprising" is often used to evoke a sense of initiative, resourcefulness, and a readiness to seize opportunity. At its best, it describes individuals who are bold and imaginative—such as a daring grain merchant recognized as the most enterprising businessman [1] or the audacious spirit whose resourcefulness propels human progress in early times [2]. It can also mark a broader cultural or economic impulse, as when an enterprising urge sparks national speculation [3]. Yet, the word is versatile enough to serve as a subtle critique, noting that despite possessing other qualities, a person like General Palmer could be competent without being enterprising [4]. This diversity in usage enriches character portrayals by adding a layer of dynamic energy or, occasionally, a note of caution about overreaching ambition.
- He was a grain merchant and cattle-buyer, and was generally considered the most enterprising business man in our county.
— from My Ántonia by Willa Cather - We may imagine a time when, in the infancy of the human race, some enterprising mortal crept into a hollow in a rock for shelter.
— from Walden, and On The Duty Of Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau - The enterprising impulse leads to speculation; and here again early observers have noticed the national trait.
— from Introduction to the Science of Sociology by E. W. Burgess and Robert Ezra Park - General Palmer was a man of ability, but was not enterprising.
— from Memoirs of General William T. Sherman — Complete by William T. Sherman
