Word family noun moral morals morality ≠ immorality moralist amorality adjective moral ≠ immoral amoral moralistic verb moralize adverb morally ≠ immorally
From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishmoralmor‧al1 /ˈmɒrəl $ ˈmɔː-/ ●●○ W2 adjective 1 [only before noun]GOOD/MORAL relating to the principles of what is right and wrong behaviour, and with the difference between good and evil → morally, ethical It is easy to have an opinion on a moral issue like the death penalty for murder. moral philosophymoral standards/values/principles I think you can run a business to the highest moral standards. If we accept that certain babies should be allowed to die, we place doctors in a moral dilemma. Man is gifted with a moral sense by which he distinguishes good from evil.2 [only before noun]GOOD/MORAL based on your ideas about what is right, rather than on what is legal or practical The book places a high moral value on marriage and the family unit. The UN feels that it has the moral authority (=influence because people accept that its beliefs are right) to send troops to the area.moral duty/obligation/responsibility A man has a moral duty to obey the law. It isn’t just lack of moral fibre (=lack of the emotional strength to do what you believe is right) which leads to a rising divorce rate.3 → moral support4 → moral victory5 GOOD/MORALalways behaving in a way that is based on strong principles about what is right and wrong OPP immoral, amoral a moral man of high integrity6 → take/claim/seize the moral high ground7 → moral compassCOLLOCATIONS – Meanings 1 & 2moral + NOUNa moral standard/principleHas there been a decline in moral standards in our society?a moral value (=behaviour that a society believes is right and good)Schools teach moral values both by example and in lessons.a moral duty/obligation (=something you must do for moral reasons)If you have a pet, you have a moral obligation to take care of it.a moral judgmentWe shouldn't make moral judgements about the way other people live their lives.a moral imperative (=something that must be done for moral reasons)He felt that rescuing the hostages was a moral imperative.a moral code (=a set of beliefs about right and wrong that influences your behaviour)His own moral code is based on his religious beliefs.somebody’s moral authority (=influence that someone has because people believe their principles are right)Corruption in government destroys its moral authority.moral fibre British English, moral fiber American English (=the emotional strength to do what is right)Single parents are sometimes treated as though they lack moral fibre.a moral issuea debate on the moral issues surrounding the use of animals in medical researcha moral dilemma (=a difficult decision for moral reasons)Doctors face a moral dilemma when a patient can be kept alive but has no chance of real recovery.somebody’s moral sense (=a feeling for what is right and what is wrong)Children’s moral sense develops over a number of years.moral superiority (=the idea that you are morally right and other people are not)He connects high social class with moral superiority.moral philosophy (=the study of moral principles and rules)a class in moral philosophythe moral order (=the way societies are organized according to moral standards)Hitler posed the greatest threat to the moral order of the world that history has ever seen. Examples from the Corpus
moral• This is involved in becoming aware of oneself as a self-conscious moral agent.• The company is managed according to strict moral and ethical principles.• They live according to a deeply held moral code.• But as in the 1830s their participation involved a reworking of moral discourse.• He cautioned, however, that the broadcaster tries to be a moral educator rather than an objective news presence.• Parents are responsible for giving their children moral guidance.• We follow the moral laws laid down by our religion.• You have a moral obligation to help your sister's children.• As moral people, we cannot accept that so many children grow up in poverty.• They see it as a scientific rather than a moral problem.• Everything that he writes has a high moral purpose.• It is also true that moral reasoning does not ensure consistent moral behavior.• Women have a moral right to work without being sexually harassed.• Eight percent said a decline in moral values worried them the most.moral philosophy• Any verdict we pass on punishment must be soundly based on an acceptable general moral philosophy.• Of course, not everyone is well versed in moral philosophy.• He had just been appointed professor of moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow.• Smith began to teach logic and moral philosophy at the University of Glasgow.• Kant Kant's moral philosophy is sharply opposed to the moral sense approach of Hutcheson and Hume.• It is plain from all of this how moral philosophy is taken to depend on natural philosophy.• I am surprised that he did not cite as evidence in support of his case the moral philosophy of his own Monklands District Council.• Both theories are exercises in analytical moral philosophy which aspire to provide rational principles to support particular conceptions of just social arrangements.moral value• They include judgment and moral values.• The concern of these groups has grown in response to a perceived widening of the gap between cherished moral values and actual day-to-day behaviour.• Individual beliefs about race, gender roles, moral values, and human nature are formed over a lifetime of experience.• Their moral values are a bit intolerant, too.• Speechwriters are not expected to have the same moral values as other people in political life.• Alternatively, the moral values of a particular group within the society under study may be adopted.• As are the author's stern moral values that are reflected on page after page of the novel.• Eight percent said a decline in moral values worried them the most.moralmoral2 ●○○ noun 1 → morals2 GOOD/MORAL[countable] a practical lesson about what to do or how to behave, which you learn from a story or from something that happens to you → messagemoral of The moral of the film was that crime does not pay.THESAURUSmorals all of the basic ideas that a person or group of people has about what is morally good and rightThe man has no morals at all. He felt that society's morals were declining, as shown by increases in public drunkenness and violence.morality ideas about what is right and wrong, and what is acceptable behaviour – used when talking about whether it is right to do a particular thing, or when talking about moral standards generallySeveral advisers had very different views on the morality of the action (=on whether it was morally right).They wanted to ban the film, on the grounds of protecting public morality.ethics moral rules for deciding what is right and wrong – often used about this as a subject that people study and discussDoctors must follow a strict code of ethics.I'm not sure about the ethics of using human embryos for research (=I'm not sure that it is morally right).principles moral rules or beliefs about what is right and wrong, which make you decide what you should and should not doHe stuck to his principles and spoke out against injustice, despite the risks.It's against their principles to kill any living thing.values your ideas about what is important in lifeDuring the 1960s, many young people rejected their parents' values.He stressed the importance of spiritual values.scruples beliefs about what is right and wrong that prevent you from doing bad thingsShe had no scruples about listening to their private conversation.My scruples would not allow me to interfere in their relationship.Examples from the Corpus
moral• There was a lot of public debate about the morality of the invasion.• So feel free to fill your children with lessons and morals from this story.• The doctor, whatever her politics and morals, had lovely skilful hands, which Phoebe could not but admire.• We repudiated entirely customary morals, conventions and traditional wisdom.• Warning rather than exhortation to virtue is the style of the fabliau morals.• But this putatively happy ending holds no morals for Cal.• Stricter morals also were more widely accepted in those days.• The moral is simple: do not let up until the time-up bell sounds.• These beautiful new books, filled with morals and happy endings, help us hold on to our storytelling heritage.Origin moral1 (1300-1400) Latin moralis, from mos “what people usually or traditionally do” 