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Principle
Definitions
- 1 A fundamental assumption or guiding belief.
"We need some sort of principles to reason from."
- 2 (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature) wordnet
- 3 A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
"The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs."
- 4 a basic truth or law or assumption wordnet
- 5 Moral rule or aspect.
"I don't doubt your principles."
Show 11 more definitions
- 6 a rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system wordnet
- 7 A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
"Bernoulli's principle"
- 8 a basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct wordnet
- 9 A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
"Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle."
- 10 a rule or standard especially of good behavior wordnet
- 11 A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.; A chemical compound within plant or animal tissue that is characteristic of it and more or less peculiar to it, such that it defines the character of that tissue from a human viewpoint (as for example nicotine in tobacco).
"the active principle"
- 12 rule of personal conduct wordnet
- 13 A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.
"The soul of man is an active principle."
- 14 An original faculty or endowment.
"those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering"
- 15 Misspelling of principal. alt-of, misspelling
- 16 A beginning. obsolete
"Doubting sad end of principle unsound."
- 1 To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct. transitive
"Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired."
Etymology
From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.
From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.
See also for "principle"
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