From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishprincipleprin‧ci‧ple /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ ●●● S2 W1 AWL noun 1 moral rule [countable, uncountable]GOOD/MORAL a moral rule or belief about what is right and wrong, that influences how you behave Schools try to teach children a set of principles. He’s got no principles at all! It’s against my principles to accept gifts from clients.2 idea behind something [countable]BELIEVE the basic idea that a plan or system is based on The general principle is that education should be available to all children up to the age of 16.basic/fundamental/guiding principle the basic principles of business managementprinciple of the principles of French lawprinciple that Reflexology is based on the principle that specific areas on the feet correspond to different parts of the body.on a principle The project worked on the principle that each person’s experience was equally valuable.principle behind the principles behind government policies He called for a return to first principles (=the most important ideas) of road safety for children. Similar principles apply in the case of older children (=the principles are the same as others that have been mentioned).3 → in principle4 rules of a process [countable]EXPLAIN a rule which explains the way something such as a machine works, or which explains a natural force in the universe Archimedes’ principleprinciple of the basic principles of physics ► Do not confuse the noun principle with the noun and adjective principal: a former principal of the college | her principal tasksCOLLOCATIONS – Meaning 1: a moral rule or belief about what is right and wrong, that influences how you behaveadjectivesstrict principlesRosa is a woman of strict moral principles.strong principles (=that someone believes in very strongly)a man of strong principleshigh principles (=strong beliefs about right and wrong)Dunn's high principles and pleasant manner won him the real affection of his colleagues.moral principlesCriminal law should be used to protect and reinforce moral principles.religious/political principlesDoesn’t working on Sunday conflict with your religious principles?socialist principlesWould he stick to his socialist principles after being elected prime minister?verbshave principlesI may have no money and no power but I have principles.stick to your principles (=act according to them, even when this is difficult)Throughout this time, he stuck to his principles and spoke out against injustice.betray/compromise your principles (=do something that is against your principles)I knew I could lie to help him, but it would be betraying my principles.abandon your principles (=stop believing in them or trying to act by them)It has been said that he abandoned his basic political principles while he was in power.phrasesbe against somebody’s principlesIt’s against my principles to eat meat.as a matter of principle (=because of moral beliefs about right and wrong)As a matter of principle one should never yield to terrorism.a man/woman of principle (=someone with strong moral ideas)He is the only candidate who has demonstrated that he is a man of principle. COLLOCATIONS – Meaning 2: the basic idea that a plan or system is based onadjectivesa general/broad principleHe explained the general principles of the constitution.an important principleOne important principle is that you should give yourself plenty of reward for your success.a basic/fundamental principle (=a very important principle to which other ideas are added)Applicants should show that they understand the basic principles of marketing.a guiding principle (=a principle that helps you decide what to do)Fairness is the guiding principle.first principles (=the most basic ideas that something is based on)The researchers went back to first principles.verbsbe based on a principleA good education ought to be based on multicultural principles.a principle appliesThe same principle applies to all kinds of selling.the principle underlying somethingWhat are the principles underlying this form of treatment?establish a principle (=make it accepted)Establish the principle that when your office door is shut you must not be disturbed.lay down a principle (=describe a principle and make it accepted)The report lays down general principles for the teaching of English.
Examples from the Corpus
principle• That episcopal ordination made one a member of the episcopal college was accepted in principle by the second session.• Might it then be that the preserving of two viable copies is what is impossible in principle?• In principle, a planning authority can only grant what is actually applied for or a part of it.• I have structured the book to give you a similar experience, particularly with respect to the ten new management principles.• He'll do anything to make money. The man has no principles.• The latter are intended to offer a set of principles providing the best solutions to typical problems in contract law.• The general rule, as above stated, seems on principle just.• However that may be, let us look at Moore's principle at work in one of his examples.• In this way, the principle of induction is justified.• The principles governing the world of physics are unchanging.principles apply• Do constitutional principles apply to damage awards?• These awards are not alternative; different principles apply to their calculation.• All of the foregoing principles apply to any relationship, but we are not talking about just any relationship.• Still, some general principles apply.• But the same marketing principles apply to launching a major restaurant in any big city in the world.• Although both Gillespie and Smith concerned indemnities the same principles apply to exclusion clauses.• The same principles apply: accuracy, detail.• Similar principles apply in the case of bonuses, which often involve an element of profit sharing.From Longman Business Dictionaryprincipleprin‧ci‧ple /ˈprɪnsəpəl/ noun1[countable, uncountable] a moral rule or set of ideas that makes you behave in a particular wayThe single European market works on market principles.As a matter of principle (=a rule that is very important and that should not be broken), disabled people should have the right to work. → see also error of principle2[countable] a rule that explains how something works, or an idea that something is based onThe basic principle is that all information collected for one purpose is confidential.The US market is built on the principle that a marketplace should be available to everyone.accounting practice based on the accruals principle3in principle if something is possible in principle, there is no reason why it should not happen, but it has not actually happened yetIn principle, we pay all our freelance staff within one month.4in principle if something happens in principle, decisions, rules etc say that it should happen, even if in practice it does not always happenIn principle, a hostile takeover is possible, but we want to discourage it.5in principle if you agree to do something in principle, you agree in a general way to the idea or plan, without agreeing to any detailsNorth and South Korea agreed in principle to link their separate air-traffic control systems.Origin principle (1300-1400) French principe, from Latin principium “beginning”, from princeps; → PRINCE 