morals
Also found in: Thesaurus, Medical, Financial, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
mor·al
(môr′əl, mŏr′-)adj.
1. Of or concerned with the judgment of right or wrong of human action and character: moral scrutiny; a moral quandary.
2. Teaching or exhibiting goodness or correctness of character and behavior: a moral lesson.
3. Conforming to standards of what is right or just in behavior; virtuous: a moral life.
4. Arising from conscience or the sense of right and wrong: a moral obligation.
5. Having psychological rather than physical or tangible effects: a moral victory; moral support.
6. Based on strong likelihood or firm conviction, rather than on the actual evidence: a moral certainty.
n.
1. The lesson or principle contained in or taught by a fable, a story, or an event.
2. A concisely expressed precept or general truth; a maxim: likes to follow the moral "To each, his own."
3. morals Rules or habits of conduct, especially of sexual conduct, with reference to standards of right and wrong: a person of loose morals; a decline in the public morals.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin mōrālis, from mōs, mōr-, custom; see mē- in Indo-European roots.]
mor′al·ly adv.
Synonyms: moral, ethical, virtuous, righteous
These adjectives mean in accord with right or good conduct. Moral applies to personal character and behavior: "Our moral sense dictates a clearcut preference for these societies which share with us an abiding respect for individual human rights" (Jimmy Carter).
Ethical stresses idealistic standards of right and wrong: "Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants" (Omar Bradley).
Virtuous implies moral excellence and loftiness of character: "The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous" (Frederick Douglass).
Righteous emphasizes moral uprightness; when it is applied to actions, reactions, or impulses, it often implies justifiable outrage: "It was righteous anger that motivated letters written by whistle-blowing employees" (Sandra P. Thomas).
These adjectives mean in accord with right or good conduct. Moral applies to personal character and behavior: "Our moral sense dictates a clearcut preference for these societies which share with us an abiding respect for individual human rights" (Jimmy Carter).
Ethical stresses idealistic standards of right and wrong: "Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants" (Omar Bradley).
Virtuous implies moral excellence and loftiness of character: "The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful, and virtuous" (Frederick Douglass).
Righteous emphasizes moral uprightness; when it is applied to actions, reactions, or impulses, it often implies justifiable outrage: "It was righteous anger that motivated letters written by whistle-blowing employees" (Sandra P. Thomas).
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Switch to new thesaurus
| Noun | 1. | morals - motivation based on ideas of right and wrong motivation, motive, need - the psychological feature that arouses an organism to action toward a desired goal; the reason for the action; that which gives purpose and direction to behavior; "we did not understand his motivation"; "he acted with the best of motives" hedonism - the pursuit of pleasure as a matter of ethical principle conscience, moral sense, scruples, sense of right and wrong - motivation deriving logically from ethical or moral principles that govern a person's thoughts and actions Christ Within, Inner Light, Light Within, Light - a divine presence believed by Quakers to enlighten and guide the soul |
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
Translations
أخْلاقأخْلَاقٌ
mravymorálka
moralmoralbegrebermoralfølelse
moraali
moral
erkölcsök
siîferîiskennd
品行
윤리
moral
หลักความประพฤติ
ahlâkahlak kuralları
quy tắc đạo đức
moral
(ˈmorəl) adjective of, or relating to, character or behaviour especially right behaviour. high moral standards; He leads a very moral (= good) life.
noun the lesson to be learned from something that happens, or from a story. The moral of this story is that crime doesn't pay.
ˈmorally adverbmoˈrality noun
morals noun plural
one's principles and behaviour. He has no morals and will do anything for money.
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
morals
→ أخْلَاقٌ mravy moralbegreber Moral ήθη moralidad moraali morale moral principi morali 品行 윤리 moralen etikk morały princípios morais нравы moral หลักความประพฤติ ahlak kuralları quy tắc đạo đức 品行Multilingual Translator © HarperCollins Publishers 2009