Morality

Morality
Morality Mo*ral"i*ty, n.; pl. {Moralities}. [L. moralitas: cf. F. moralit['e].] 1. The relation of conformity or nonconformity to the moral standard or rule; quality of an intention, a character, an action, a principle, or a sentiment, when tried by the standard of right. [1913 Webster]

The morality of an action is founded in the freedom of that principle, by virtue of which it is in the agent's power, having all things ready and requisite to the performance of an action, either to perform or not perform it. --South. [1913 Webster]

2. The quality of an action which renders it good; the conformity of an act to the accepted standard of right. [1913 Webster]

Of moralitee he was the flower. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

I am bold to think that morality is capable of demonstration. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

3. The doctrines or rules of moral duties, or the duties of men in their social character; ethics. [1913 Webster]

The end of morality is to procure the affections to obey reason, and not to invade it. --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

The system of morality to be gathered out of . . . ancient sages falls very short of that delivered in the gospel. --Swift. [1913 Webster]

4. The practice of the moral duties; rectitude of life; conformity to the standard of right; virtue; as, we often admire the politeness of men whose morality we question. [1913 Webster]

5. A kind of allegorical play, so termed because it consisted of discourses in praise of morality between actors representing such characters as Charity, Faith, Death, Vice, etc. Such plays were occasionally exhibited as late as the reign of Henry VIII. --Strutt. [1913 Webster]

6. Intent; meaning; moral. [Obs.] [1913 Webster]

Taketh the morality thereof, good men. --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Morality — • Morality is antecedent to ethics: it denotes those concrete activities of which ethics is the science. It may be defined as human conduct in so far as it is freely subordinated to the ideal of what is right and fitting Catholic Encyclopedia.… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • morality — (n.) late 14c., moral qualities, from O.Fr. moralité moral (of a story); moral instruction; morals, moral character (13c.) and directly from L.L. moralitatem (nom. moralitas) manner, character, from L. moralis (see MORAL (Cf. moral) (adj.)).… …   Etymology dictionary

  • morality — [mō ral′i tē, môral′i tē, məral′i tē] n. pl. moralities [ME moralite < OFr < LL moralitas < L moralis] 1. moral quality or character; rightness or wrongness, as of an action 2. the character of being in accord with the principles or… …   English World dictionary

  • morality — index ethics, integrity, principle (virtue), probity, propriety (correctness), rectitude, resp …   Law dictionary

  • morality — *goodness, virtue, rectitude Analogous words: integrity, probity, honor, *honesty: *excellence, perfection, virtue, merit …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • morality — [n] ethics, honesty chastity, conduct, decency, ethicality, ethicalness, gentleness, godliness, good habits, goodness, honor, ideals, incorruptibility, incorruption, integrity, justice, manners, moral code, morals, mores, philosophy, principle,… …   New thesaurus

  • morality — ► NOUN (pl. moralities) 1) principles concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behaviour. 2) moral behaviour. 3) the extent to which an action is right or wrong. 4) a system of values and moral principles …   English terms dictionary

  • Morality — Appropriate redirects here. For other uses, see Appropriation (disambiguation). Morality (from the Latin moralitas manner, character, proper behavior ) is the differentiation among intentions, decisions, and actions between those that are good… …   Wikipedia

  • morality — mo|ral|i|ty [məˈrælıti] n [U] 1.) beliefs or ideas about what is right and wrong and about how people should behave ▪ sexual morality public/private/personal morality ▪ the decline in standards of personal morality ▪ The authorities are… …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • morality — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ conventional, traditional ▪ strict ▪ personal, private ▪ common, public, social …   Collocations dictionary

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