1 : unselfish regard for or devotion to the welfare of others
2 : behavior by an animal that is not beneficial to or may be harmful to itself but that benefits others of its species. MWO
of a knife, strength an aretēof a boxer, etc. Since in order to be a
good instance of its kind an object normally has to possess several
excellences, the term may designate each of those excellences
severally or the possession of them all together - overall or total
excellence. Much Greek ethical theory is concerned with the
investigation of the nature of human excellence overall, and of human
excellences severally; the possession of the excellences is
constitutive of being a good human being, i.e. of achieving a good
human life. (eudaimonia). OCPDate: 14th century
1 obsolete : AUTHORITATIVE
2 a : worthy of acceptance or belief as conforming to or based on fact <paints an authentic picture of our society> b : conforming to an original so as to reproduce essential features <an authentic reproduction of a colonial farmhouse> c : made or done the same way as an original <authentic Mexican fare>
3 : not false or imitation : REAL, ACTUAL <based on authentic documents> <an authentic cockney accent>
4 a of a church mode : ranging upward from the keynote -- compare PLAGAL 1 b of a cadence : progressing from the dominant chord to the tonic -- compare PLAGAL 2
5 : true to one's own personality, spirit, or character
synonyms AUTHENTIC, GENUINE, BONA FIDE mean being actually and exactly what is claimed. AUTHENTIC implies being fully trustworthy as according with fact <an authentic account of the perilous journey>; it can also stress painstaking or faithful imitation of an original <an authentic reproduction> <authentic Vietnamese cuisine>. GENUINE implies actual character not counterfeited, imitated, or adulterated <genuine piety> <genuine maple syrup>; it also connotes definite origin from a source <a genuine Mark Twain autograph>. BONA FIDE implies good faith and sincerity of intention <a bona fide offer for the stock>. MWO
2 : self-directing freedom and especially moral independence
3 : a self-governing state. MWO
1: the study of the nature, types, and criteria of values and of value judgments especially in ethics. MWO
Etymology: Middle English caracter, from Middle French caractère, from Latin character mark, distinctive quality, from Greek charaktEr, from charassein to scratch, engrave; perhaps akin to Lithuanian zerti to scratch
Date: 14th century
1 a : a conventionalized graphic device placed on an object as an indication of ownership, origin, or relationship b : a graphic symbol (as a hieroglyph or alphabet letter) used in writing or printing c : a magical or astrological emblem d : ALPHABET e (1) : WRITING, PRINTING (2) : style of writing or printing (3) : CIPHER f : a symbol (as a letter or number) that represents information; also : a representation of such a character that may be accepted by a computer
2 a : one of the attributes or features that make up and distinguish an individual b (1) : a feature used to separate distinguishable things into categories; also : a group or kind so separated <advertising of a very primitive character> (2) : the detectable expression of the action of a gene or group of genes (3) : the aggregate of distinctive qualities characteristic of a breed, strain, or type <a wine of great character> c : the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group, or nation d : main or essential nature especially as strongly marked and serving to distinguish <excess sewage gradually changed the character of the lake>
3 : POSITION, CAPACITY <his character as a town official>
4 : REFERENCE 4b
5 : REPUTATION
6 : moral excellence and firmness <a man of sound character>
7 a : a person marked by notable or conspicuous traits <quite a character> b : one of the persons of a drama or novel c : the personality or part which an actor recreates d : characterization especially in drama or fiction e : PERSON, INDIVIDUAL <some character just stole her purse>
8 : a short literary sketch of the qualities of a social type
synonym see DISPOSITION, QUALITY, TYPE
- char·ac·ter·less adjective
- in character : in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits
- out of character : not in accord with a person's usual qualities or traits. MWO
Date: 13th century
1 : benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity
2 a : generosity and helpfulness especially toward the needy or suffering; also : aid given to those in need b : an institution engaged in relief of the poor c : public provision for the relief of the needy
3 a : a gift for public benevolent purposes b : an institution (as a hospital) founded by such a gift
4 : lenient judgment of others. MWO
transitive senses
1 : to direct authoritatively : ORDER
2 : to exercise a dominating influence over : have command of: as a : to have at one's immediate disposal b : to demand or receive as one's due <commands a high fee> c : to overlook or dominate from or as if from a strategic position d : to have military command of as senior officer
3 obsolete : to order or request to be given
intransitive senses
1 : to have or exercise direct authority : GOVERN
2 : to give orders
3 : to be commander
4 : to dominate as if from an elevated place. MWO
Date: 13th century
1 a : the sense or consciousness of the moral goodness or blameworthiness of one's own conduct, intentions, or character together with a feeling of obligation to do right or be good b : a faculty, power, or principle enjoining good acts c : the part of the superego in psychoanalysis that transmits commands and admonitions to the ego
2 archaic : CONSCIOUSNESS
3 : conformity to the dictates of conscience : CONSCIENTIOUSNESS
4 : sensitive regard for fairness or justice : Scruple. MWO
Date: 1796
1 Hinduism : an individual's duty fulfilled by observance of custom or law
2 Hinduism & Buddhism a : the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence : divine law b : conformity to one's duty and nature. MWO
1 : conduct due to parents and superiors : RESPECT
2 a : obligatory tasks, conduct, service, or functions that arise from one's position (as in life or in a group)
b (1) : assigned service or business
(2) : active military service
(3) : a period of being on duty
3 a : a moral or legal obligation b : the force of moral obligation. MWO
1 a : a doctrine that individual self-interest is the actual motive of all conscious action b : a doctrine that individual self-interest is the valid end of all actions
2 : excessive concern for oneself with or without exaggerated feelings of self-importance -compare EGOTISM 2. MWO
1 a : a former school of medical practice founded on experience without the aid of science or theory b : QUACKERY, CHARLATANRY
2 a : the practice of relying on observation and experiment especially in the natural sciences b : a tenet arrived at empirically
3 : a theory that all knowledge originates in experience. MWO
Date: before 12th century
1 a : the part of an area that lies at the boundary b (1) : a point that marks the extent of something (2) : the point where something ceases to exist <world without end> c : the extreme or last part lengthwise : TIP d : the terminal unit of something spatial that is marked off by units e : a player stationed at the extremity of a line (as in football)
2 a : cessation of a course of action, pursuit, or activity b : DEATH, DESTRUCTION c (1) : the ultimate state (2) : RESULT, ISSUE
3 : something incomplete, fragmentary, or undersized : REMNANT
4 a : an outcome worked toward : PURPOSE <the end of poetry is to be poetry -- R. P. Warren> b : the object by virtue of or for the sake of which an event takes place
5 a : a share in an undertaking <kept your end up> b : a particular operation or aspect of an undertaking or organization <the sales end of the business>
6 : something that is extreme : ULTIMATE -- used with the
7 : a period of action or turn in any of various sports events (as archery or lawn bowling)
synonym see INTENTION. MWO
1 : the act or means of enlightening : the state of being enlightened
2 capitalized : a philosophic movement of the 18th century marked by a rejection of traditional social, religious, and political ideas and an emphasis on rationalism -- used with the
3 Buddhism : a final blessed state marked by the absence of desire or suffering. MWO
Date: 1586
1 capitalized : of or relating to Epicurus or Epicureanism
2 : of, relating to, or suited to an epicure. MWO
Etymology: Middle English, from Latin aequalis, from aequus level, equal
Date: 14th century
1 a (1) : of the same measure, quantity, amount, or number as another (2) : identical in mathematical value or logical denotation : EQUIVALENT b : like in quality, nature, or status c : like for each member of a group, class, or society <provide equal employment opportunities>
2 : regarding or affecting all objects in the same way : IMPARTIAL
3 : free from extremes: as a : tranquil in mind or mood b : not showing variation in appearance, structure, or proportion
4 a : capable of meeting the requirements of a situation or a task b : SUITABLE <bored with work not equal to his abilities>
synonym see SAME. MWO
Inflected Form(s): plural -ties
Date: 15th century
1 : the quality or state of being equal
2 : EQUATION . MWO
1 a : justice according to natural law or right; specifically : freedom from bias or favoritism
b : something that is equitable
2 a : a system of law originating in the English chancery and comprising a settled and formal body of legal and procedural rules and doctrines that supplement, aid, or override common and statute law and are designed to protect rights and enforce duties fixed by substantive law
b : trial or remedial justice under or by the rules and doctrines of equity
c : a body of legal doctrines and rules developed to enlarge, supplement, or override a narrow rigid system of law
3 a : a right, claim, or interest existing or valid in equity
b : the money value of a property or of an interest in a property in excess of claims or liens against it
c : a risk interest or ownership right in property
d : the common stock of a corporation
2 : a philosophical theory ascribing ultimate reality to essence embodied in a thing perceptible to the senses -- compare Nominalism. MWO
1 : the discipline dealing with what is good and bad and with moral duty and obligation
2 a : a set of moral principles or values
b : a theory or system of moral values <the present-day materialistic ethic>
c : the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group <professional ethics>
d : a guiding philosophy
Date: before 12th century
1 a : morally reprehensible : SINFUL, WICKED <an evil impulse> b : arising from actual or imputed bad character or conduct <a man of evil reputation>
2 a archaic : INFERIOR b : causing discomfort or repulsion : OFFENSIVE <an evil odor> c : DISAGREEABLE <woke late and in an evil temper>
3 a : causing harm : pernicious <the evil institution of slavery> b : marked by misfortune : UNLUCKY. MWO
: a chiefly 20th century philosophical movement embracing diverse doctrines but centering on analysis of individual existence in an unfathomable universe and the plight of the individual who must assume ultimate responsibility for his acts of free will without any certain knowledge of what is right or wrong or good or bad. MWO
Very many modern writers on moral philosophy believe that it must
be possible to describe a distinction between fact and value such as
was insisted on by Ayer, Stevenson, and Hare, but it has no place in
the work of contemporary neo-Aristotelian moral philosophers such as
G. E. M. Anscombe. Critics have challenged the account of evaluation
on which the distinction draws, and doubts have also been raised about
whether value stands in opposition to any
clear notion of fact. OCP
1 a marked by impartiality and honesty : free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism <a very fair person to do business with>
b (1) : conforming with the established rules : ALLOWED
(2) : consonant with merit or importance : DUE <a fair share>
c : open to legitimate pursuit, attack, or ridicule <fair game>
2 a : In a proper or legal manner <fairly priced stocks>
b : without bias or distortion : IMPARTIALLY <a story told fairly and objectively>
Etymology: Middle English fager, fair, from Old English fæger; akin to Old High German fagar beautiful
Date: before 12th century
1 : pleasing to the eye or mind especially because of fresh, charming, or flawless quality
2 : superficially pleasing : SPECIOUS <she trusted his fair promises>
3 a : CLEAN, PURE <fair sparkling water> b : CLEAR, LEGIBLE
4 : not stormy or foul : FINE <fair weather>
5 : AMPLE <a fair estate>
6 a : marked by impartiality and honesty : free from self-interest, prejudice, or favoritism <a very fair person to do business with> b (1) : conforming with the established rules : ALLOWED (2) : consonant with merit or importance : DUE <a fair share> c : open to legitimate pursuit, attack, or ridicule <fair game>
7 a : PROMISING, LIKELY <in a fair way to win> b : favorable to a ship's course <a fair wind>
8 archaic : free of obstacles
9 : not dark : BLOND
10 : sufficient but not ample : ADEQUATE <a fair understanding of the work>
11 : being such to the utmost : UTTER <a fair treat to watch him -- New Republic>
- fair·ness noun
synonyms FAIR, JUST, EQUITABLE, IMPARTIAL, UNBIASED, DISPASSIONATE, OBJECTIVE mean free from favor toward either or any side. FAIR implies an elimination of one's own feelings, prejudices, and desires so as to achieve a proper balance of conflicting interests <a fair decision>. JUST implies an exact following of a standard of what is right and proper <a just settlement of territorial claims>. EQUITABLE implies a less rigorous standard than JUST and usually suggests equal treatment of all concerned <the equitable distribution of the property>. IMPARTIAL stresses an absence of favor or prejudice <an impartial third party>. UNBIASED implies even more strongly an absence of all prejudice <your unbiased opinion>. DISPASSIONATE suggests freedom from the influence of strong feeling and often implies cool or even cold judgment <a dispassionate summation of the facts>. OBJECTIVE stresses a tendency to view events or persons as apart from oneself and one's own interest or feelings <I can't be objective about my own child>. synonym see in addition BEAUTIFUL. MWO
Here, as in other branches of feminist philosophy, a delicate and complex negotiation must be conducted. First what is distinctive about women's lives, and has traditionally been denigrated, can be revalued. For example, the capacity for and value of care, or the tendency to offer unconditional love, have frequently been judged outwith the ambit of truly ethical life. On the other hand feminists keep a critical eye on the social processes by which it comes about that in a culture capacities like that for care are associated more with one sex than with another. This means that a standpoint must be found from which to judge which 'feminine characteristics' should be overcome and which revalued.
Finally, the question must be faced whether we look to a future
in which there is a common set of ethical conceptions, applicable
indifferently to men and to women, or a future in which ethical
differences (along sexual and also other social lines) might
flourish. OCP
Date: 13th century
1 a : the shape and structure of something as distinguished from its material b : a body (as of a person) especially in its external appearance or as distinguished from the face : FIGURE c archaic : BEAUTY
2 : the essential nature of a thing as distinguished from its matter: as a : IDEA 1a b : the component of a thing that determines its kind
3 a : established method of expression or proceeding : procedure according to rule or rote b : a prescribed and set order of words : FORMULA <the form of the marriage service>
4 : a printed or typed document with blank spaces for insertion of required or requested information <tax forms>
5 a (1) : conduct regulated by extraneous controls (as of custom or etiquette) : CEREMONY (2) : show without substance b : manner or conduct as tested by a prescribed or accepted standard <rudeness is simply bad form> c : manner or style of performing or accomplishing according to recognized standards of technique <a strong swimmer but weak on form>
6 a : the resting place or nest of a hare b : a long seat : BENCH
7 a : a supporting frame model of the human figure or part (as the torso) of the human figure usually used for displaying apparel b : a proportioned and often adjustable model for fitting clothes c : a mold in which concrete is placed to set
8 : the printing type or other matter arranged and secured in a chase ready for printing
9 a : one of the different modes of existence, action, or manifestation of a particular thing or substance : KIND <one form of respiratory disorder> <a form of art> b : a distinguishable group of organisms c : LINGUISTIC FORM d : one of the different aspects a word may take as a result of inflection or change of spelling or pronunciation <verbal forms> e : a mathematical expression of a particular type <a bilinear form> <a polynomial form>
10 a (1) : orderly method of arrangement (as in the presentation of ideas) : manner of coordinating elements (as of an artistic production or course of reasoning) (2) : a particular kind or instance of such arrangement <the sonnet is a poetical form> b : PATTERN, SCHEMA <arguments of the same logical form> c : the structural element, plan, or design of a work of art -- compare CONTENT 2c d : a visible and measurable unit defined by a contour : a bounded surface or volume
11 : a grade in a British school or in some American private schools
12 a (1) : the past performance of a race horse (2) : RACING FORM b : known ability to perform <a singer at the top of her form> c : condition suitable for performing (as in athletic competition) <back on form>. MWO
1 : the quality or state of being free: as a : the absence of necessity, coercion, or constraint in choice or action b : liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another : INDEPENDENCE c : the quality or state of being exempt or released usually from something onerous <freedom from care> d : EASE, FACILITY <spoke the language with freedom> e : the quality of being frank, open, or outspoken <answered with freedom> f : improper familiarity g : boldness of conception or execution h : unrestricted use <gave him the freedom of their home>
2 a : a political right b : FRANCHISE, PRIVILEGE
synonyms FREEDOM, LIBERTY, LICENSE mean the power or condition of acting without compulsion. FREEDOM has a broad range of application from total absence of restraint to merely a sense of not being unduly hampered or frustrated <freedom of the press>. LIBERTY suggests release from former restraint or compulsion <the released prisoner had difficulty adjusting to his new liberty>. LICENSE implies freedom specially granted or conceded and may connote an abuse of freedom <freedom without responsibility may degenerate into license>. MWO
1 : voluntary choice or decision <I do this of my own free will>
2 : freedom of humans to make choices that are not determined by prior causes or by divine intervention. MWO
1 : a philosophy of design (as in architecture) holding that form should be adapted to use, material, and structure
2 : a theory that stresses the interdependence of the patterns and institutions of a society and their interaction in maintaining cultural and social unity
3 : a doctrine or practice that emphasizes practical utility or functional relations. MWO
1 a (1) : of a favorable character or tendency <good news>
(2) : Bountiful, Fertile <good land>
(3) : Handsome, Attractive <good looks>
b (1) : Suitable, fit <good to eat>
(2) : free from injury or disease <one good arm>
(3) : not depreciated <bad money drives out good>
(4) : commercially sound <a good risk>
(5) : that can be relied on <good for another year> <good for a hundred dollars> <always good for a laugh>
(6) : Profitable, Advantageous <made a very good deal>
c (1) : Agreeable, Pleasant <had a good time>
(2) : Salutary, Wholesome <good for a cold>
(3) : Amusing, Clever <a good joke>
d (1) : of a noticeably large size or quantity : Considerable <won by a good margin> <a good bit of the time>
(2) : Full <waited a good hour>
(3) -- used as an intensive <a good many of us>
e (1) : Well-founded, Cogent <good reasons>
(2) : True <holds good for society at large>
(3) : deserving of respect : Honorable <in good standing>
(4) : legally valid or effectual <good title>
f (1) : Adequate, Satisfactory <good care> -- often used in faint praise <his serve is only good >
(2) : conforming to a standard <good English>
(3) : Choice, Discriminating <good taste>
(4) : containing less fat and being less tender than higher grades -- used of meat and especially of beef
2 a (1) : Virtuous, Right Commendable <a good person> <good conduct>
(2) : Kind, Benevolent <good intentions>
b : Upper-class <a good family>
c : Competent, Skillful <a good doctor>
d (1) : Loyal <a good party man> <a good Catholic>
(2) : Close <a good friend>
e : free from infirmity or sorrow <I feel good>
Function: noun
1 a : something that is good
b (1) : something conforming to the moral order of
the universe
(2) : praiseworthy character : Goodness
c : a good element or portion
2 a : advancement of prosperity or well-being <the good
of the community> <it's for your own good>
b : something useful or beneficial <it's no good
trying>
3 a : something that has economic utility or satisfies an
economic want
b plural : personal property having intrinsic
value but usually excluding money, securities, and negotiable
instruments
c plural : Cloth
d plural : something manufactured or
produced for sale : WARES, MERCHANDISE <canned goods>
4 : good persons -- used with the
5 plural a : the qualities required to achieve
an end
b : proof of wrongdoing <didn't have the goods on him
-- T. G. Cooke>
- for good also for good and all : Forever, Permanently
- in good with : in a favored position with
- to the good 1 : for the best : Beneficial <efforts to restrict credit
were all to the good -- Time>
2 : in a position of net gain or profit <wound up $10 to the good>
2 -- used interjectionally or in phrases especially to express mild surprise or shock <oh, my goodness !> <goodness knows>
3 : the nutritious, flavorful, or beneficial part of something
1 a : a kindly feeling of approval and support : benevolent interest or concern b (1) : the favor or prestige that a business has acquired beyond the mere value of what it sells (2) : the value of projected earnings increases of a business especially as part of its purchase price (3) : the value of other intangible assets (as tax credits) of a business especially as part of its purchase price
2 a : cheerful consent b : willing effort. MWO
2 a : a state of well-being and contentment : JOY
b : a pleasurable or satisfying experience
3 : FELICITY, APTNESS
1 : favored by luck or fortune : FORTUNATE
2 : notably fitting, effective, or well adapted : FELICITOUS <a happy choice>
3 a : enjoying or characterized by well-being and contentment : JOYOUS
b : expressing or suggestive of happiness : PLEASANT
c : GLAD, PLEASED
d : having or marked by an atmosphere of good fellowship : FRIENDLY
4 a : characterized by a dazed irresponsible state <a punch-happy boxer>
b : impulsively or obsessively quick to use or do something <trigger-happy>
c : enthusiastic about something to the point of obsession : OBSESSED
Date: 1856
1 : the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the sole or chief good in life
2 : a way of life based on or suggesting the principles of hedonism
3 : egoistic hedonism: the ethical theory that achieving one's own happiness is the proper goal of all conduct. MWO
Late 17th century. From Greek hermēneutikos of interpreting, from hermēneuein to interpret, from hermēneus interpreter.
Date: 1737
1: the study of the methodological principles of interpretation (as of the Bible).
2: serving to explain: serving to interpret or explain something.
3: theory of meaning which identifies the meaning of a text with its author's intentions and which seeks to decipher the text by uncovering the world-view behind it. Further developed by Gadamer, philosophical hermeneutics understanding recreates the initial intention embodied in the text, by elucidating the subject matter that the text addresses (its aboutness). The process moves the text beyond its original psychological and historical contexts and gives it a certain ``ideality'' of meaning, which is elaborated in a dialogue between the interpreter and the text. The dialogue is grounded in the concern which the interpreter and the author share toward a common question and a common subject matter. In confronting a viewpoint reflecting a different set of horizons, the interpreter can find her own horizons highlighted and reach critical self-consciousness. In seeking the key question, the interpreter repeatedly transcends her own horizons while pulling the text beyond its original horizons until a fusion of the two horizons occurs. The interpreter's imagination can also play a role in the dialogue with texts and carry the understanding of the subject matter beyond the finite interpretation realized in methodological hermeneutics. Nevertheless, the interpretations are constrained by the questions posed, since each question calls forth frameworks within which the subject matter must be understood. The meaning of a text then is not fixed, but changes over time according to how it is received and read.
Date: 13th century
1 a : good name or public esteem : REPUTATION b : a showing of usually merited respect : RECOGNITION <pay honor to our founder>
2 : PRIVILEGE
3 : a person of superior standing -- now used especially as a title for a holder of high office <if Your Honor please>
4 : one whose worth brings respect or fame : CREDIT <an honor to the profession>
5 : the center point of the upper half of an armorial escutcheon
6 : an evidence or symbol of distinction: as a : an exalted title or rank b (1) : BADGE, DECORATION (2) : a ceremonial rite or observance <buried with full military honors> c : an award in a contest or field of competition d archaic : a gesture of deference : BOW e plural (1) : an academic distinction conferred on a superior student (2) : a course of study for superior students supplementing or replacing a regular course
7 : CHASTITY, PURITY <fought fiercely for her honor and her life -- Barton Black>
8 a : a keen sense of ethical conduct : INTEGRITY b : one's word given as a guarantee of performance
9 plural : social courtesies or civilities extended by a host <did the honors at the table>
10 a (1) : an ace, king, queen, jack, or ten especially of the trump suit in bridge (2) : the scoring value of honors held in bridge -- usually used in plural b : the privilege of playing first from the tee in golf
synonyms HONOR, HOMAGE, REVERENCE, DEFERENCE mean respect and esteem shown to another. HONOR may apply to the recognition of one's right to great respect or to any expression of such recognition <the nomination is an honor>. HOMAGE adds the implication of accompanying praise <paying homage to Shakespeare>. REVERENCE implies profound respect mingled with love, devotion, or awe <great reverence for my father>. DEFERENCE implies a yielding or submitting to another's judgment or preference out of respect or reverence <showed no deference to their elders>. synonym see in addition HONESTY. MWO
1: a doctrine that ideas are instruments of action and that their usefulness determines their truth. MWO
1 a : a doctrine that objects of perception are intuitively known to be real b : a doctrine that there are basic truths intuitively known
2 : a doctrine that right or wrong or fundamental principles about what is right and wrong can be intuited
3 : a philosophical thesis that human beings have a direct intuitive understanding of mathematics and that rejects the principle that every mathematical statement must be true or false. MWO
1 a (1) : a theory that ultimate reality lies in a realm transcending phenomena (2) : a theory that the essential nature of reality lies in consciousness or reason b (1) : a theory that only the perceptible is real (2) : a theory that only mental states or entities are knowable
2 a : the practice of forming ideals or living under their influence b : something that is idealized
3 : literary or artistic theory or practice that affirms the preeminent value of imagination as compared with faithful copying of nature -- compare realism. MWO
Moral philosophy has to give an account of how, if at all, we can legitimately move from is to ought, from describing how things do in fact stand, to expressing an urgent concern either that they be changed or that they be respected, preserved as they are. If the is-ought gap is over-dramatized, value is detached altogether from the world and becomes a function of sheer decision. But moral deliberation does not and cannot work in a factual vacuum. To underplay the gap is to suggest, no less implausibly, that an ought can be simply read off from an is.
A satisfactory account must start from the idea that ought and is interpenetrate. We may grasp a situation as demanding action: conversely, reflection on values and obligations powerfully affects our understanding of human nature and its potentialities.
OCPHaving a basis in or conforming to fact or reason : REASONABLE <a just but not a generous decision>
Conforming to a standard of correctness : PROPER <just proportions>
Acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good : RIGHTEOUS <a just war>
Being what is merited : DESERVED <a just punishment>
legally correct : LAWFUL <just title to an estate>
1 a : the maintenance or administration of what is just especially by the impartial adjustment of conflicting claims or the assignment of merited rewards or punishments
b : JUDGE
c : the administration of law; especially : the establishment or determination of rights according to the rules of law or equity
2 a : the quality of being just, impartial, or fair
b (1) : the principle or ideal of just dealing or right action
(2) : conformity to this principle or ideal : RIGHTEOUSNESS
c : the quality of conforming to law
3 : conformity to truth, fact, or reason : CORRECTNESS
Date: 1827
1 often capitalized : the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine the nature of the person's next existence. MWO
Date: before 12th century
1 a (1) : a binding custom or practice of a community : a rule of conduct or action prescribed or formally recognized as binding or enforced by a controlling authority (2) : the whole body of such customs, practices, or rules (3) : COMMON LAW b (1) : the control brought about by the existence or enforcement of such law (2) : the action of laws considered as a means of redressing wrongs; also : LITIGATION (3) : the agency of or an agent of established law c : a rule or order that it is advisable or obligatory to observe d : something compatible with or enforceable by established law e : CONTROL, AUTHORITY
2 a often capitalized : the revelation of the will of God set forth in the Old Testament b capitalized : the first part of the Jewish scriptures : PENTATEUCH, TORAH -- see BIBLE table
3 : a rule of construction or procedure <the laws of poetry>
4 : the whole body of laws relating to one subject
5 a : the legal profession b : law as a department of knowledge : JURISPRUDENCE c : legal knowledge
6 a : a statement of an order or relation of phenomena that so far as is known is invariable under the given conditions b : a general relation proved or assumed to hold between mathematical or logical expressions
- at law : under or within the provisions of the law <enforceable at law>
synonyms LAW, RULE, REGULATION, PRECEPT, STATUTE, ORDINANCE, CANON mean a principle governing action or procedure. LAW implies imposition by a sovereign authority and the obligation of obedience on the part of all subject to that authority <obey the law>. RULE applies to more restricted or specific situations <the rules of the game>. REGULATION implies prescription by authority in order to control an organization or system <regulations affecting nuclear power plants>. PRECEPT commonly suggests something advisory and not obligatory communicated typically through teaching <the precepts of effective writing>. STATUTE implies a law enacted by a legislative body <a statute requiring the use of seat belts>. ORDINANCE applies to an order governing some detail of procedure or conduct enforced by a limited authority such as a municipality <a city ordinance>. CANON suggests in nonreligious use a principle or rule of behavior or procedure commonly accepted as a valid guide <the canons of good taste>. synonym see in addition HYPOTHESIS. MWO
Date: 14th century
1 : the quality or state of being free: a : the power to do as one pleases b : freedom from physical restraint c : freedom from arbitrary or despotic control d : the positive enjoyment of various social, political, or economic rights and privileges e : the power of choice
2 a : a right or immunity enjoyed by prescription or by grant : PRIVILEGE b : permission especially to go freely within specified limits
3 : an action going beyond normal limits: as a : a breach of etiquette or propriety : FAMILIARITY b : RISK, CHANCE <took foolish liberties with his health> c : a violation of rules or a deviation from standard practice d : a distortion of fact
4 : a short authorized absence from naval duty usually for less than 48 hours
synonym see FREEDOM
- at liberty 1 : FREE 2 : at leisure : UNOCCUPIED. MWO
Inflected Form(s): meant ; mean·ing /
Etymology: Middle English menen, from Old English m[AE]nan; akin to Old High German meinen to have in mind, Old Church Slavonic meniti to mention
Date: before 12th century
transitive senses
1 a : to have in the mind as a purpose : INTEND <she means to win> -- sometimes used interjectionally with I, chiefly in informal speech for emphasis <he throws, I mean, hard> or to introduce a phrase restating the point of a preceding phrase <we try to answer what we can, but I mean we're not God -- Bobbie Ann Mason> b : to design for or destine to a specified purpose or future <I was meant to teach>
2 : to serve or intend to convey, show, or indicate : SIGNIFY <a red sky means rain>
3 : to have importance to the degree of <health means everything>
4 : to direct to a particular individual
intransitive senses : to have an intended purpose <he means well>
noun
Date: 14th century
1 a (1) : something intervening or intermediate (2) : a middle point between extremes b : a value that lies within a range of values and is computed according to a prescribed law: as (1) : ARITHMETIC MEAN (2) : EXPECTED VALUE c : either of the middle two terms of a proportion
2 plural but singular or plural in construction : something useful or helpful to a desired end
3 plural : resources available for disposal; especially : material resources affording a secure life. MWO
1 a obsolete : reward or punishment due
b : the qualities or actions that constitute the basis of one's deserts
c : a praiseworthy quality : VIRTUE
d : character or conduct deserving reward, honor, or esteem; also : ACHIEVEMENT
2 : spiritual credit held to be earned by performance of righteous acts and to ensure future benefits
3 a plural : the intrinsic nature of a legal case apart from considerations of circumstance, jurisdiction, or procedure b : individual significance or justification
1 a : a moral discourse, statement, or lesson b : a literary or other imaginative work teaching a moral lesson
2 a : a doctrine or system of moral conduct b plural : particular moral principles or rules of conduct
3 : conformity to ideals of right human conduct
4 : moral conduct : VIRTUE. MWO
Date: 14th century
1 a : of or relating to principles of right and wrong in behavior : ETHICAL <moral judgments> b : expressing or teaching a conception of right behavior <a moral poem> c : conforming to a standard of right behavior d : sanctioned by or operative on one's conscience or ethical judgment <a moral obligation> e : capable of right and wrong action <a moral agent>
2 : probable though not proved : VIRTUAL <a moral certainty>
3 : having the effects of such on the mind, confidence, or will <a moral victory> <moral support>
- mor·al·ly / adverb
synonyms MORAL, ETHICAL, VIRTUOUS, RIGHTEOUS, NOBLE mean conforming to a standard of what is right and good. MORAL implies conformity to established sanctioned codes or accepted notions of right and wrong <the basic moral values of a community>. ETHICAL may suggest the involvement of more difficult or subtle questions of rightness, fairness, or equity <committed to the highest ethical principles>. VIRTUOUS implies the possession or manifestation of moral excellence in character <not a religious person, but virtuous nevertheless>. RIGHTEOUS stresses guiltlessness or blamelessness and often suggests the sanctimonious <wished to be righteous before God and the world>. NOBLE implies moral eminence and freedom from anything petty, mean, or dubious in conduct and character <had the noblest of reasons for seeking office>. MWO
1 : a body of law or a specific principle held to be derived from nature and binding upon human society in the absence of or in addition to positive law. MWO
Moore was concerned to retain an objectivist position over
judgments about good.
If these could not refer to natural properties (he argued), they must
refer to 'non-natural'
ones. It is questionable, however, whether objectivism needs such a
concept, and whether 'non-natural' can be defended from emptiness. OCP
1 : Platonism modified in later antiquity to accord with Aristotelian, post-Aristotelian, and oriental conceptions that conceives of the world as an emanation from an ultimate indivisible being with whom the soul is capable of being reunited in trance or ecstasy
2 : a doctrine similar to ancient Neoplatonism. MWO
Date: circa 1817
1 a : a viewpoint that traditional values and beliefs are unfounded and that existence is senseless and useless b : a doctrine that denies any objective ground of truth and especially of moral truths
2 a (1) : a doctrine or belief that conditions in the social organization are so bad as to make destruction desirable for its own sake independent of any constructive program or possibility (2) capitalized : the program of a 19th century Russian party advocating revolutionary reform and using terrorism and assassination. MWO
Date: 13th century
1 a : possessing outstanding qualities : ILLUSTRIOUS b : FAMOUS, NOTABLE <noble deeds>
2 : of high birth or exalted rank : ARISTOCRATIC
3 a : possessing very high or excellent qualities or properties <noble wine> b : very good or excellent
4 : grand or impressive especially in appearance <noble edifice>
5 : possessing, characterized by, or arising from superiority of mind or character or of ideals or morals : LOFTY <a noble ambition>
6 : chemically inert or inactive especially toward oxygen <a noble metal such as platinum> -- compare BASE 6a
synonym see MORAL. MWO
1 : a theory that there are no universal essences in reality and that the mind can frame no single concept or image corresponding to any universal or general term
2 : the theory that only individuals and no abstract entities (as essences, classes, or propositions) exist -- compare ESSENTIALISM, REALISM
1 : an authoritative standard : MODEL
2 : a principle of right action binding upon the members of a group and serving to guide, control, or regulate proper and acceptable behavior
3 : AVERAGE: a : a set standard of development or achievement usually derived from the average or median achievement of a large group
b : a pattern or trait taken to be typical in the behavior of a social group
c : a widespread practice, procedure, or custom : RULE <standing ovations became the norm>
2 a : something (as a formal contract, a promise, or the demands of conscience or custom) that obligates one to a course of action
b : a debt security (as a mortgage or corporate bond)
c : a commitment (as by a government) to pay a particular sum of money; also : an amount owed under such an obligation <unable to meet its obligations, the company went into bankruptcy>
3 a : a condition or feeling of being obligated
b : a debt of gratitude
4 : something one is bound to do : DUTY, RESPONSIBILITY
Date: 15th century
1 : highly injurious or destructive : DEADLY
2 archaic : WICKED
- per·ni·cious·ly adverb
- per·ni·cious·ness noun
synonyms PERNICIOUS, BANEFUL, NOXIOUS, DELETERIOUS, DETRIMENTAL mean exceedingly harmful. PERNICIOUS implies irreparable harm done through evil or insidious corrupting or undermining <the claim that pornography has a pernicious effect on society>. BANEFUL implies injury through poisoning or destroying <the baneful notion that discipline destroys creativity>. NOXIOUS applies to what is both offensive and injurious to the health of a body or mind <noxious chemical fumes>. DELETERIOUS applies to what has an often unsuspected harmful effect <a diet found to have deleterious effects>. DETRIMENTAL implies obvious harmfulness to something specified <the detrimental effects of excessive drinking>. MWO
Date: circa 1797
1 : the study of the development of human consciousness and self-awareness as a preface to philosophy or a part of philosophy
2 a (1) : a philosophical movement that describes the formal structure of the objects of awareness and of awareness itself in abstraction from any claims concerning existence (2) : the typological classification of a class of phenomena <the phenomenology of religion> b : an analysis produced by phenomenological investigation. MWO
1 a : the philosophy of Plato stressing especially that actual things are copies of transcendent ideas and that these ideas are the objects of true knowledge apprehended by reminiscence. MWO
2 : the quality or state of being plural
3 a : a theory that there are more than one or more than two kinds of ultimate reality b : a theory that reality is composed of a plurality of entities
4 a : a state of society in which members of diverse ethnic, racial, religious, or social groups maintain an autonomous participation in and development of their traditional culture or special interest within the confines of a common civilization b : a concept, doctrine, or policy advocating this state. MWO
Date: 1847
1 a : a theory that theology and metaphysics are earlier imperfect modes of knowledge and that positive knowledge is based on natural phenomena and their properties and relations as verified by the empirical sciences b : LOGICAL POSITIVISM
2 : the quality or state of being positive. MWO
1 : a practical approach to problems and affairs <tried to strike a balance between principles and pragmatism>
2 : an American movement in philosophy founded by C. S. Peirce and William James and marked by the doctrines that the meaning of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action, and that truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief. MWO
1 : reliance on reason as the basis for establishment of religious truth
2 a : a theory that reason is in itself a source of knowledge superior to and independent of sense perceptions b : a view that reason and experience rather than the nonrational are the fundamental criteria in the solution of problems
3 : FUNCTIONALISM. MWO
1 : concern for fact or reality and rejection of the impractical and visionary
2 a : a doctrine that universals exist outside the mind; specifically : the conception that an abstract term names an independent and unitary reality b : the conception that objects of sense perception or cognition exist independently of the mind -- compare nominalism, idealism
3 : fidelity in art and literature to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization. MWO
1 a : a theory that knowledge is relative to the limited nature of the mind and the conditions of knowing
b : a view that ethical truths depend on the individuals and groups holding them
2 : RELATIVITY. MWO
1 : an act of giving particular attention : CONSIDERATION
2 a : high or special regard : ESTEEM
b : the quality or state of being esteemed
c plural : expressions of respect or deference <paid our respects>
1 : RIGHTEOUS, UPRIGHT
2 : being in accordance with what is just, good, or proper <right conduct>
3 a : agreeable to a standard b : conforming to facts or truth : CORRECT <the right answer>
4 : SUITABLE, APPROPRIATE <the right man for the job>
5 : STRAIGHT <a right line>
6 : GENUINE, REAL
7 a : of, relating to, situated on, or being the side of the body which is away from the heart and on which the hand is stronger in most people
b : located nearer to the right hand than to the left
c : located to the right of an observer facing the object specified or directed as the right arm would point when raised out to the side
d (1) : located on the right of an observer facing in the same direction as the object specified <stage right>
(2) : located on the right when facing downstream <the right bank of a river>
8 : having the axis perpendicular to the base <right cone>
9 : of, relating to, or constituting the principal or more prominent side of an object <made sure the socks were right side out>
10 : acting or judging in accordance with truth or fact <time proved her right>
11 a : being in good physical or mental health or order <not in his right mind>
b : being in a correct or proper state <put things right>
2 : something to which one has a just claim: as
a : the power or privilege to which one is justly entitled
b (1) : the interest that one has in a piece of property -- often used in plural <mineral rights>
(2) plural : the property interest possessed under law or custom and agreement in an intangible thing especially of a literary and artistic nature <film rights of the novel>
3 : something that one may properly claim as due
4 : the cause of truth or justice
5 a : the true account or correct interpretation
b : the quality or state of being factually correct
- by rights : with reason or justice : PROPERLY
- in one's own right : by virtue of one's own qualifications or properties
- of right 1 : as an absolute right 2 : legally or morally exactable
- to rights : into proper order
acting in accord with divine or moral law : free from guilt or sin
morally right or justifiable <a righteous decision>
arising from an outraged sense of justice or morality <righteous indignation>
1 a (1) : a literary, artistic, and philosophical movement originating in the 18th century, characterized chiefly by a reaction against neoclassicism and an emphasis on the imagination and emotions, and marked especially in English literature by sensibility and the use of autobiographical material, an exaltation of the primitive and the common man, an appreciation of external nature, an interest in the remote, a predilection for melancholy, and the use in poetry of older verse forms (2) : an aspect of romanticism
b : adherence to a romantic attitude or style
2 : the quality or state of being romantic. MWO
Date: 15th century
1 : an ethical consideration or principle that inhibits action
2 : the quality or state of being scrupulous
3 : mental reservation
synonym see QUALM. MWO
1 : concerned excessively or exclusively with oneself : seeking or concentrating on one's own advantage, pleasure, or well-being without regard for others
2 : arising from concern with one's own welfare or advantage in disregard of others <a selfish act>. MWO
Date: before 12th century
1 a : an offense against religious or moral law b : an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible <it's a sin to waste food> c : an often serious shortcoming : FAULT
2 a : transgression of the law of God b : a vitiated state of human nature in which the self is estranged from God
synonym see OFFENSE. MWO
: a system of ethics by which acts are judged within their contexts instead of by categorical principles. MWO
1 capitalized : the philosophy of the Stoics
2 : indifference to pleasure or pain : IMPASSIVENESS. MWO
Date: 14th century
1 capitalized : a member of a school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium about 300 B.C. holding that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law
2 : one apparently or professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain. MWO
Date: 1740
1 a : the study of evidences of design in nature b : a doctrine (as in vitalism) that ends are immanent in nature c : a doctrine explaining phenomena by final causes
2 : the fact or character attributed to nature or natural processes of being directed toward an end or shaped by a purpose
3 : the use of design or purpose as an explanation of natural phenomena. MWO
Date: 14th century
1 : moderation in action, thought, or feeling : RESTRAINT
2 a : habitual moderation in the indulgence of the appetites or passions b : moderation in or abstinence from the use of intoxicating drink . MWO
value, worth, esteem, rate or scale in usefulness, importance, or general worth
1 : conformity to a standard of right
2 : a beneficial quality or power of a thing
3 : manly strength or courage: valor
4 : a capacity to act : POTENCY
5 : chastity especially in a woman
6 : a commendable quality or trait : MERIT
Date: 13th century
1 : morally very bad : EVIL
2 a : FIERCE, VICIOUS <a wicked dog> b : disposed to or marked by mischief : ROGUISH <does wicked impersonations>
3 a : disgustingly unpleasant : VILE <a wicked odor> b : causing or likely to cause harm, distress, or trouble <a wicked storm>
4 : going beyond reasonable or predictable limits : of exceptional quality or degree <throws a wicked fastball>. MWO
Date: before 12th century
1 : DESIRE, WISH: as a : DISPOSITION, INCLINATION <where there's a will there's a way> b : APPETITE, PASSION c : CHOICE, DETERMINATION
2 a : something desired; especially : a choice or determination of one having authority or power b (1) archaic : REQUEST, COMMAND (2) [from the phrase our will is which introduces it] : the part of a summons expressing a royal command
3 : the act, process, or experience of willing : VOLITION
4 a : mental powers manifested as wishing, choosing, desiring, or intending b : a disposition to act according to principles or ends c : the collective desire of a group <the will of the people>
5 : the power of control over one's own actions or emotions <a man of iron will>
6 : a legal declaration of a person's wishes regarding the disposal of his or her property or estate after death; especially : a written instrument legally executed by which a person makes disposition of his or her estate to take effect after death
- at will : as one wishes : as or when it pleases or suits oneself. MWO
Date: before 12th century
1 a : an injurious, unfair, or unjust act : action or conduct inflicting harm without due provocation or just cause b : a violation or invasion of the legal rights of another; especially : TORT
2 : something wrong, immoral, or unethical; especially : principles, practices, or conduct contrary to justice, goodness, equity, or law
3 : the state, position, or fact of being or doing wrong: as a : the state of being mistaken or incorrect b : the state of being guilty. MWO