|  moral /morˈəl/  adjectivenounOf or relating to character or conduct considered as good or evilEthicalAdhering to or directed towards what is rightVirtuous, esp in matters of sexCapable of knowing right and wrongSubject to moral lawHaving an effect on the mind or willSupported by evidence of reason or probability, opp to demonstrative(eg of a victory) real or effective, if not apparentMoralizing (Shakespeare)
 transitive verb and  intransitive verb (archaic)(in pl) writings on ethicsThe doctrine or practice of the duties of lifeMoral philosophy or ethicsPrinciples and conduct, esp sexual(in sing) the practical lesson that can be drawn from anythingAn exposition of such lesson by way of conclusionA symbol (Shakespeare)Morality (in this sense sometimes pronounced /mor-älˈ/ after Ger Moral or Fr morale)/mor-älˈ/ confidence, morale (now rare)A certainty (slang, now esp Aust)An exact counterpart (archaic sl)
 To moralize ORIGIN: L mōrālis, from mōs, mōris manner, custom, (esp in pl) morals morˈalism  noun A moral maximMoral counselMorality as distinct from religion
 morˈalist  noun A person who teaches morals, or who practises moral dutiesA moral as distinguished from a religious manSomeone who takes pride in his or her morality
 moralistˈic  adjective moralistˈically  adverb morality /mor-alˈi-ti/   noun The quality of being moralThat which renders an action right or wrongThe practice of moral duties apart from religionVirtueThe doctrine of actions as right or wrongEthicsA medieval allegorical drama in which virtues and vices appear as characters (also morality play)
 moralizāˈtion or moralisāˈtion  noun  Act of moralizing, explanation in a moral sense morˈalize or morˈalise  transitive verb intransitive verbTo apply to a moral purposeTo explain in a moral senseTo make moral
 To speak or write on moral subjectsTo make moral reflections or pronouncements, or speak in an admonitory tone about moral standards
 morˈalizer or morˈaliser  noun morˈaller  noun (Shakespeare) A moralist morˈally  adverb In a moral mannerIn respect of moralsTo all intents and purposes, practically
 moral agent  noun  A person who acts under a knowledge of right and wrong moral certainty  noun  A likelihood great enough to be acted on, although not capable of being certainly proved moral courage  noun  The power to face disapprobation and ridicule moral defeat  noun  A success so qualified as to count as a defeat, or to point towards defeat moral faculty  noun  Moral sense moral hazard  noun (economics)  The risk that people will behave imprudently when they will not be penalized for failure moral imagination  noun (esp US) In business ethics, the ability to create new solutions to ethical problems moral law  noun A law or rules for life and conduct, founded on what is right and wrongThe law of conscienceThat part of the Old Testament which relates to moral principles, esp the ten commandments
 moral majority  noun  The majority of a society that is presumed to favour a strict moral code moral philosophy  noun  Ethics  Moral Rearmament  noun  A movement succeeding the Oxford Group in 1938, advocating absolute private and public morality (abbrev MRA) moral rights  plural noun  Rights that the creator of a published work has in relation to the work (since 1988 legally enforceable) moral sense  noun That power of the mind which knows or judges actions to be right or wrong, and determines conduct accordinglyTropological interpretation of eg the Bible, seeking to establish some secondary meaning
 moral support  noun  Encouragement shown by approval rather than by active help moral theology  noun  Ethics treated with reference to a divine source moral victory  noun  A defeat in appearance, but in some important sense a real victory |