principle
nounverbcommon in dialogue
- Australia//ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl//
- Australia/[ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pɫ̩]/
- Australia//ˈpɹɪn.sə.pəl//
- Australia/[ˈpɹɪn.sə.pɫ̩]/
A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief.
noun
- 1
A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief.
We need some sort of principles to reason from.
- 2
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.
Mr. Genachowski proposed codifying the new principles with four existing principles issued several years ago by the F.C.C. They say that network operators cannot prevent users from accessing lawful Internet content, applications and services of their choice, nor can they prohibit users from attaching nonharmful devices to the network.
- 3
Moral rule or aspect.
I don't doubt your principles.
You are clearly a person of principle.
It's the principle of the thing; I won't do business with someone I can't trust.
Lavinia—shrewd, careless, clever; ready to meet any difficulty, however humiliating, that might occur; utterly without principle; confident in that good fortune, which she scrupled at no means of attaining—was the very type of the real.
- 4
A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
Bernoulli's principle
The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.
The principle of the internal combustion engine
Some poems, echoing the purpose of early poetic treatises on scientific principles, attempt to elucidate the mathematical concepts that underlie prime numbers. Others play with primes’ cultural associations. Still others derive their structure from mathematical patterns involving primes.
- 5
A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.
- 6
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
Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
- 7
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.
- 8
An original faculty or endowment.
those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering
- 9
obsoleteA beginning.
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
- 10
Variant of principalMisspelling of principal.
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.
verb
- 1
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Forms
- plural
- principles
- past tense
- principled
- past participle
- principled
- present participle
- principling
- third person singular
- principles
principle · A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief.
print · Of, relating to, or writing for printed publications.printed · Put down on paper by a printing press or a computer printer.printer · One who makes prints.