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moral

   Also found in: Medical, Legal, Acronyms, Idioms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.
mor·al  (môrl, mr-)
adj.
1. Of or concerned with the judgment of the goodness or badness 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.
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 mrlis, from ms, mr-, custom; see m-1 in Indo-European roots.]

moral·ly adv.
Synonyms: moral, ethical, virtuous, righteous
These adjectives mean in accord with right or good conduct. Moral applies to personal character and behavior, especially sexual conduct: "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 N. 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: "He was . . . stirred by righteous wrath" (John Galsworthy).

moral [ˈmɒrəl]
adj
1. concerned with or relating to human behaviour, esp the distinction between good and bad or right and wrong behaviour moral sense
2. adhering to conventionally accepted standards of conduct
3. based on a sense of right and wrong according to conscience moral courage moral law
4. having psychological rather than tangible effects moral support
5. having the effects but not the appearance of (victory or defeat) a moral victory a moral defeat
6. having a strong probability a moral certainty
7. (Law) Law (of evidence, etc.) based on a knowledge of the tendencies of human nature
n
1. the lesson to be obtained from a fable or event point the moral
2. a concise truth; maxim
3. (plural) principles of behaviour in accordance with standards of right and wrong
[from Latin mōrālis relating to morals or customs, from mōs custom]
morally  adv

moral


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The moral I draw is that the writer should seek his reward in the pleasure of his work and in release from the burden of his thought; and, indifferent to aught else, care nothing for praise or censure, failure or success.
I can't tell you just now what the moral of that is, but I shall remember it in a bit.
Since the objects of imitation are men in action, and these men must be either of a higher or a lower type (for moral character mainly answers to these divisions, goodness and badness being the distinguishing marks of moral differences), it follows that we must represent men either as better than in real life, or as worse, or as they are.
 
 
 
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