vicevice /vaɪs/ noun 
[uncountable] criminal activities that involve sex or drugs: 
the fight against vice on the streets The police have smashed a vice ring (=a group of criminals involved in vice) in Chicago.2[countable] a bad habit: Smoking is my only vice.3[countable, uncountable] a bad or immoral quality in a person, or bad or immoral behaviour OPP virtue: Jealousy is a vice. to reward virtue and punish vice4[countable] (usually vise AmE) a tool that holds an object very firmly so that you can work on it: He held my arm like a vice. → vice-like
WORD ORIGINvice
Origin:
1-3 1200-1300 Old French, Latin vitium ‘fault, vice’EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
- Smoking is one of his few vices.
- Clive thought she might be a rare type of pervert who gets off on vociferously condemning all the vices she actually practises.
- However, drug-taking is a vice, not a crime.
- In spite of his variety of vices, he refuses to let anything age him.
- The question remains in both legends equally, nevertheless, as to where virtue ends and vice begins in such pious adventures.
WORD SETS
abet, verbaccusation, nounaccuse, verbaffray, nounarson, nounassault, nounassault and battery, nounbackhander, nounbattery, nounbigamy, nounblack market, nounblack marketeer, nounbreak-in, nounbreaking and entering, nouncaper, nouncapital, adjectivecarjacking, nouncat burglar, nouncontract, nouncosh, nouncounterfeit, adjectivecounterfeit, verbcover, nouncrack, verbcriminal, adjectivecriminal, nouncriminal law, nouncriminal record, nouncriminology, nouncrook, nounculpable, adjectiveculprit, noundefamation, noundefraud, verbdelinquency, noundelinquent, adjectivedelinquent, noundesperado, noundisorderly, adjectivedrug baron, noundrug runner, nounDUI, nounembezzle, verbexpropriate, verbextort, verbeyewitness, nounfelon, nounfelony, nounfence, nounfiddle, nounfiddle, verbfiddler, nounfilch, verbfinger, verbfire-raising, nounfirst offender, nounflash, verbflasher, nounforge, verbforger, nounforgery, nounfoul play, nounframe, verbframe-up, nounfratricide, nounfraud, nounfreebooter, noungang, noungang-bang, noungang rape, noungangster, nounGBH, noungenocide, noungetaway, noungodfather, noungrand larceny, noungrass, noungrievous bodily harm, nounheist, nounhijack, verbhijack, nounhijacking, nounhit, nounhit-and-run, adjectivehit man, nounincriminate, verbindecent assault, nounindecent exposure, nouninfanticide, nounjob, nounjoyriding, nounjuvenile delinquent, nounkidnap, verblarceny, nounlibel, nounlibel, verblibellous, adjectivelow life, nounmafioso, nounmalpractice, nounmanslaughter, nounmassacre, nounmassacre, verbmatricide, nounmisappropriate, verbmisconduct, nounmisdeed, nounmisdemeanour, nounmobster, nounmoll, nounmug, verbmugshot, nounmurder, nounmurder, verbmurderer, nounmurderess, nounmuscleman, nounnark, nounnefarious, adjectiveneighbourhood watch, nounnick, verbno-go area, nounoffence, nounoffend, verboffender, nounold lag, nounorganized crime, nounoutlaw, nounparricide, nounpatricide, nounpetty larceny, nounPhotofit, nounpiracy, nounplant, verbpoach, verbpoacher, nounpossession, nounprivateer, nounprotection, nounprowl, verbprowler, nounpublic nuisance, nounpull, verbpunk, nounpurloin, verbraid, nounram-raiding, nounrape, verbrape, nounrapist, nounravish, verbreceiver, nounreceiving, nounrecidivist, nounregicide, nounring, nounringleader, nounriotous, adjectiverob, verbrobber, nounrobbery, nounroll, verbrustler, nounscheme, nounscheme, verbshady, adjectiveshoplift, verbshoplifting, nounslander, nounsmuggle, verbsnout, nounspeeding, nounstabbing, nounstalking, nounstatutory offence, nounstatutory rape, nounsteal, verbstoolpigeon, nounsupergrass, nounsuspect, nounswag, nountheft, nounthief, nounthievish, adjectivetorch, verbtraffic, nountrafficker, nountriad, noununder-the-counter, adjectiveunderworld, nounundesirable, nounvagrancy, nounvandal, nounvandalism, nounvandalize, verbvice, nounvigilante, nounvillainy, nounviolate, verbviolation, nounwanted, adjective
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY He held my arm like a vice.COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES Barrett serves as vice chairman. A controlled explosion was carried out by bomb squad officers.COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSNOUN
1 He held my arm like a vice. Barrett serves as vice chairman. (=a very strong grip)· Victor took hold of her wrist in an iron grip.
A controlled explosion was carried out by bomb squad officers.· Somewhere, a shoe company vice president is shaking his head in confusion.
[uncountable] criminal activities that involve sex or drugs: the fight against vice on the streets The police have smashed a vice ring (=a group of criminals involved in vice) in Chicago.2[countable] a bad habit: Smoking is my only vice.3[countable, uncountable] a bad or immoral quality in a person, or bad or immoral behaviour OPP virtue: Jealousy is a vice. to reward virtue and punish vice4[countable] (usually vise AmE) a tool that holds an object very firmly so that you can work on it: He held my arm like a vice. → vice-like