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. moraal أخْلاقي морален moral morální, mravný moralisch moralsk ηθικός moral kõlbeline اخلاقی moraalinen moral מוסרי नैतिकता से संबंधित moral erkölcsös; erkölcsi moral siðferðilegur morale 道徳的な 도덕에 관한, 도덕상의 moralinis, dorovinis, dorovingas, pamokomas morāls; ētisks moral moreel moralsk, moral- moralny اخلاقى moralista moral нравственный morálny moralen moralan moralisk ทางศีลธรรม ahlâklı, ahlâkî 有道德的 моральний; етичний اخلاقی عادات و اطوار سے متعلق thuộc đạo đức 有道德的,道德上的
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. moraal عِبْرَه، دَرْس أخْلاقي поука moral naučení die Moral morale ηθικό δίδαγμα moraleja moraal پند opetus morale מוסר सीख pouka tanulság moral boðskapur morale 教訓 1 (이야기, 경험 등의) 우의(寓意), 교훈 pamokymas, moralas morāle; pamācība pengajaran moraal moral, lære morał نصيحت moral morală мораль poučenie nauk pouka sensmoral เรื่องสอนใจ ...-den alınacak ders 寓意 повчання, мораль اخلاقی سبق bài học 寓意
ˈmorally adverb moraal أخلاقِيّاً морално moralmente morálně, mravně moralisch moralskt ενάρετα moralmente kõlbeliselt سیرت moraalisesti moralement מִבּחִינָה מוסָרִית नैतिकता moralno erkölcsileg; erkölcsösen secara moral siðferðilega moralmente 道徳的に 도덕적으로 moraliai, dorai morāli; ētiski secara moral moreel moralsk moralnie سيرت moralmente (din punct de vedere) moral морально; нравственно morálne moralno moralno moraliskt อย่างถูกทํานองคลองธรรม ahlâklı şekilde 道德上 морально اخلاقی طور پر về đạo đức 道德上
moˈrality noun moraliteit أخلاقِيَّه، قَوانين الأخْلاق морал moralidade morálka die Moral moral ηθική moral, moralidad kõlblus اخلاق moraalisuus moralité מוסריות सदाचार, नैतिकता moralnost (jó) erkölcs(i érzék), morál moralitas siðferði moralità 道徳 도덕성 moralė, dorovė, dorumas morāle; ētika bermoral moraliteit det vedtatte moralsystemet moralność روحيه، اخلاق moralidade moralitate мораль; нравственность morálka moralnost moralnost moral ความดีงาม doğruluk, dürüstlük 道德 моральність; мораль اخلاق، خوش کرداری đạo đức 道德
morals noun plural one's principles and behaviour. He has no morals and will do anything for money. sedes أخْلاق принципи princípios morálka, mravy die Moral moral; moralfølelse ήθος moral, moralidad eetika اخلاقيات moraali moralité, mœurs מוסר उसूल moralnost, etika erkölcsök prinsip siðferðiskennd moralità, principi morali 道義心 품행, 윤리 moralė, dora tikumi; principi akhlak moraal moral, leveregler moralność په اخلاقو اړوند princípios principii morale; moravuri нравы morálka morala princip moral หลักความประพฤติ ahlâk 品德 моральність اصول اور رویہ phẩm hạnh 道德,品德
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