--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By…" description: "\"Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By instinct. They forbear to pry.\" — Phyllis McGinley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce5/phyllis-mcginley-4467_aunt_aunts-are-discreet-a-little-shy-by-insti_2368007.png" --- # Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By instinct. They… ![“Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By instinct. They forbear to pry.” quote by Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce5/phyllis-mcginley-4467_aunt_aunts-are-discreet-a-little-shy-by-insti_2368007.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce5/phyllis-mcginley-4467_aunt_aunts-are-discreet-a-little-shy-by-insti_2368007.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ce5/phyllis-mcginley-4467_aunt_aunts-are-discreet-a-little-shy-by-insti_2368007.png) > “Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By instinct. They forbear to pry.” [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Aunts naturally respect privacy, acting with quiet restraint. **In simple terms:** Aunts are shy and respectful. Key Takeaway Honor quiet boundaries in relationships. Themes family privacy respect Mood thoughtful gentle Type literary reflective When to use this quote - family gatherings - confidential conversations Key Concepts social etiquette personal space Questions to Reflect On - When should you speak up versus stay discreet? - How does cultural instinct shape privacy? A Different Perspective May overlook the need for openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Aunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunts/) [Aunts and uncles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/aunts-and-uncles/) [Instinct](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/instinct/) ## Related quotes > [My parents had become adults during the Great Depression, as had many of my aunts and uncles, so I got stories from all of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-r-lansdale/my-parents-had-become-adults-during-the-great-depression-as-had-many/) [Joe R. Lansdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-r-lansdale/) > [“How stupid. My mom and dad had lost each other, and for what? So they could fit better at their parents’ tables at Christmas…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshilyn-jackson/how-stupid-my-mom-and-dad-had-lost-each-other-and-for-what-so-they/) [Joshilyn Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshilyn-jackson/) > [Parents, brothers and sisters, grandparents, aunts and uncles are made more powerful guides and rescuers by the bonds of love that are the very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-b-eyring/parents-brothers-and-sisters-grandparents-aunts-and-uncles-are-made/) [Henry B. Eyring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-b-eyring/) > [My mum was incredibly resourceful and there were loads of aunts and uncles around who helped.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-blades/my-mum-was-incredibly-resourceful-and-there-were-loads-of-aunts-and/) [Jay Blades](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-blades/) > [My favorite team is the Bengals. In Idaho, we didn't really have a home team. But my parents are from Ohio, and when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nate-holland/my-favorite-team-is-the-bengals-in-idaho-we-didn-t-really-have-a-home/) [Nate Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nate-holland/) > [I don't write about the intimate details of my cousins and aunts and uncles, and my mother and my father because it's not right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/i-don-t-write-about-the-intimate-details-of-my-cousins-and-aunts-and/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [Imagine that you wanted your children to learn the names of all their cousins, aunts and uncles. But you never actually let them meet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-x-foley/imagine-that-you-wanted-your-children-to-learn-the-names-of-all-their/) Brian X. Foley > [The friends I have from childhood are definitely like family to me - extended sisters and brothers, aunts and uncles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberly-guilfoyle/the-friends-i-have-from-childhood-are-definitely-like-family-to-me/) [Kimberly Guilfoyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberly-guilfoyle/) > [Mum and Dad used to do a lot of entertaining. We had quite a nice house, so everybody descended on us at Christmas -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ainsley-harriott/mum-and-dad-used-to-do-a-lot-of-entertaining-we-had-quite-a-nice/) [Ainsley Harriott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ainsley-harriott/) > [I was swimming in art day and night. There were always parties being thrown, with artists from every medium (my extended aunts and uncles),…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-hyatt/i-was-swimming-in-art-day-and-night-there-were-always-parties-being/) [Michael Hyatt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-hyatt/) > [I have a big family. Even though it's only three kids in our family, it's always aunts and uncles and the whole thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-lynch/i-have-a-big-family-even-though-it-s-only-three-kids-in-our-family-it/) [Jane Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-lynch/) > [I've had aunts and uncles who not only haven't read my books but could hardly believe that I was a writer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-cormier/i-ve-had-aunts-and-uncles-who-not-only-haven-t-read-my-books-but/) [Robert Cormier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-cormier/) > [Quite honestly, if we do manage to destroy the planet with our devil-may-care attitude to natural resources, I'd suggest we leave, as a dossier…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mariella-frostrup/quite-honestly-if-we-do-manage-to-destroy-the-planet-with-our-devil/) [Mariella Frostrup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mariella-frostrup/) > [Across the board, from my mother to my father to my aunts and uncles, everybody has always given me a lot of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amos-lee/across-the-board-from-my-mother-to-my-father-to-my-aunts-and-uncles/) [Amos Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amos-lee/) > [I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be one of so many, to have not just parents and siblings but cousins and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-dessen/i-couldn-t-imagine-what-it-would-be-like-to-be-one-of-so-many-to-have/) [Sarah Dessen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-dessen/) ## More by Phyllis McGinley > [The saints differ from us in their exuberance, the excess of our human talents. Moderation is not their secret. It is in the wildness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-saints-differ-from-us-in-their-exuberance-the-excess-of-our-human/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Tomorrow will come and today will pass, / But the hearts of the young are brittle as glass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/tomorrow-will-come-and-today-will-pass-but-the-hearts-of-the-young/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Borrow my umbrellas, my clothes, my money, and I will likely not think of them again. But borrow my books and I will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/borrow-my-umbrellas-my-clothes-my-money-and-i-will-likely-not-think/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The Enemy, who wears her mother's usual face and confidential tone, has access; doubtless stares into her writing case and listens on the phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-enemy-who-wears-her-mother-s-usual-face-and-confidential-tone-has/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [God know that a mother need fortitude and courage and tolerance and flexibility and patience and firmness and nearly every other brave aspect of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/god-know-that-a-mother-need-fortitude-and-courage-and-tolerance-and/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The trouble with gardening is that it does not remain an avocation. It becomes an obsession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-trouble-with-gardening-is-that-it-does-not-remain-an-avocation-it/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [The thing to remember about fathers is, they're men. A girl has to keep it in mind: They are dragon seekers, bent on improbable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/the-thing-to-remember-about-fathers-is-they-re-men-a-girl-has-to-keep/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Not reading poetry amounts to a national pastime here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/not-reading-poetry-amounts-to-a-national-pastime-here/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Sisters are always drying their hair. Locked into rooms, alone, they pose at the mirror, shoulders bare, trying this way and that their hair,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/sisters-are-always-drying-their-hair-locked-into-rooms-alone-they/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [What in me is pure conviction is simple prejudice in you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/what-in-me-is-pure-conviction-is-simple-prejudice-in-you/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Of course we women gossip on occasion. But our appetite for it is not as avid as a man s. It is in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/of-course-we-women-gossip-on-occasion-but-our-appetite-for-it-is-not/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Marriage was all a woman's idea and for man's acceptance of the pretty yoke, it becomes us to be grateful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/marriage-was-all-a-woman-s-idea-and-for-man-s-acceptance-of-the/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [“But the kitchen will not come into its own again until it ceases to be a status symbol and becomes again a workshop. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/but-the-kitchen-will-not-come-into-its-own-again-until-it-ceases-to/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Sin has always been an ugly word, but it has been made so in a new sense over the last half-century. It has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/sin-has-always-been-an-ugly-word-but-it-has-been-made-so-in-a-new/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) > [Those wearing Tolerance for a label call other views intolerable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-mcginley/those-wearing-tolerance-for-a-label-call-other-views-intolerable/) [Phyllis McGinley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) [Explore all 110 Phyllis McGinley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-mcginley/) ## More Aunt quotes > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging toward…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/your-aunt-and-uncle-will-be-proud-though-won-t-they-said-hermione-as/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was painfully shy, so my aunt suggested to my mum that me and my brother go to Stage 84, a performing arts school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-cooke/i-was-painfully-shy-so-my-aunt-suggested-to-my-mum-that-me-and-my/) [Christian Cooke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-cooke/) > [“Quin took on the air of someone who has just realized it's time for the yearly visit to the spinster great-aunt in a desperate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-fecteau/quin-took-on-the-air-of-someone-who-has-just-realized-it-s-time-for/) [Amy Fecteau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-fecteau/) > [My aunt and uncle are clearly civilians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-kimmel/my-aunt-and-uncle-are-clearly-civilians/) [Jimmy Kimmel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-kimmel/) > [“Aunt Helen Beck had many intentions about her death. She was about being dead the way some people are about being British - she…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-mccracken/aunt-helen-beck-had-many-intentions-about-her-death-she-was-about/) [Elizabeth McCracken](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-mccracken/) > [I'll just do a round around of the house and make sure the rest of the family are fast asleep. We don't want that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kerstin-gier/i-ll-just-do-a-round-around-of-the-house-and-make-sure-the-rest-of/) [Kerstin Gier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kerstin-gier/) > [In the summer of 1964, my sister and I went to South Ballston, Virginia, to stay with my aunt and her kids. They passed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-p-jones/in-the-summer-of-1964-my-sister-and-i-went-to-south-ballston-virginia/) [Edward P. Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-p-jones/) > [“I look like Barbara Bush in drag." Aunt Jettie”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-harper/i-look-like-barbara-bush-in-drag-aunt-jettie/) [Molly Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-harper/) > [I only wanted Uncle Vernon standing by his own car (a Hudson) on a clear day, I got him and the car. Ialso got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lee-friedlander/i-only-wanted-uncle-vernon-standing-by-his-own-car-a-hudson-on-a/) [Lee Friedlander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lee-friedlander/) > [Both the five-year-olds looked at me with bewilderment and a bit of fearful uncertainty. I had a sudden horrifying image of the woman I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-gilbert/both-the-five-year-olds-looked-at-me-with-bewilderment-and-a-bit-of/) [Elizabeth Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-gilbert/) > [My aunt got me interested in journalism - she found an old typewriter, had it worked over, put it on the dining room table,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-jenkins/my-aunt-got-me-interested-in-journalism-she-found-an-old-typewriter/) [Dan Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-jenkins/) > [This kind of thing always amazed Ginny--people who just walked away from institutions. People who left school when they didn't see the point. Aunt…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/this-kind-of-thing-always-amazed-ginny-people-who-just-walked-away/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [“You will not be able to shelter her forever,” my aunt insists. “What will happen when you are gone someday, and all the suitable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-forest/you-will-not-be-able-to-shelter-her-forever-my-aunt-insists-what-will/) [Laurie Forest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-forest/) > [my sweet old etcetera aunt lucy during the recent war could and what is more did tell you just what everybody was fighting for,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/my-sweet-old-etcetera-aunt-lucy-during-the-recent-war-could-and-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 720 Aunt quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Aunts are discreet, a little shy / By instinct. 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