From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishvicevice /vaɪs/ noun 1 [uncountable]SCC criminal activities that involve sex or drugs the fight against vice on the streets The police have smashed a vice ring (=a group of criminals involved in vice) in Chicago.2 [countable]HABIT a bad habit Smoking is my only vice.3 [countable, uncountable]BAD BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS a bad or immoral quality in a person, or bad or immoral behaviour OPP virtue Jealousy is a vice. to reward virtue and punish vice4 → vise → vice-like
Examples from the Corpus
vice• However, drug-taking is a vice, not a crime.• The question remains in both legends equally, nevertheless, as to where virtue ends and vice begins in such pious adventures.• Smoking is one of his few vices.• In spite of his variety of vices, he refuses to let anything age him.• Clive thought she might be a rare type of pervert who gets off on vociferously condemning all the vices she actually practises.vice-vice- /vaɪs/ prefix → vice-president/chairman etcOrigin vice (1200-1300) Old French Latin vitium “fault, vice” 