Category:Principle

Prin"ci*ple, n. Etym: [f. principe, l. principium beginning, Foundation, fr. princeps, -cipis. See prince.]

1. Beginning; commencement. [obs.] Doubting sad end of principle unsound. Spenser.

2. 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. Tillotson.

3. An original faculty or endowment. Nature in your principles hath set [benignity]. Chaucer. Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the Communication either of enjoyment or suffering. Stewart.

4. A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which Others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; An elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate. Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of christ, let us Go on unto perfection. Heb. vi. 1. A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a Bad. Milton.

5. A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion Or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and Behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently Directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle. All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle Of mind. Law.

6. (chem.)

Defn: any original inherent constituent which characterizes a Substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can Usually be separated by analysis; -- applied especially to drugs, Plant extracts, etc. Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna. Gregory. Bitter principle, principle of contradiction, etc. See under bitter, Contradiction, etc.

Principle Prin"ci*ple, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Principled; p. pr. & vb. n. Principling.]

Defn: to equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain Principles; to impress with any tenet, or rule of conduct, good or Ill. Governors should be well principled. L'estrange. Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired. Locke.