Morality

3 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Morality \Mo*ral"i*ty\, n.; pl. {Moralities}. [L. moralitas: cf.
     F. moralit['e].]
     1. The relation of conformity or nonconformity to the moral
        standard or rule; quality of an intention, a character, an
        action, a principle, or a sentiment, when tried by the
        standard of right.


        [1913 Webster]
  
              The morality of an action is founded in the freedom
              of that principle, by virtue of which it is in the
              agent's power, having all things ready and requisite
              to the performance of an action, either to perform
              or not perform it.                    --South.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. The quality of an action which renders it good; the
        conformity of an act to the accepted standard of right.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Of moralitee he was the flower.       --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              I am bold to think that morality is capable of
              demonstration.                        --Locke.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. The doctrines or rules of moral duties, or the duties of
        men in their social character; ethics.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The end of morality is to procure the affections to
              obey reason, and not to invade it.    --Bacon.
        [1913 Webster]
  
              The system of morality to be gathered out of . . .
              ancient sages falls very short of that delivered in
              the gospel.                           --Swift.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     4. The practice of the moral duties; rectitude of life;
        conformity to the standard of right; virtue; as, we often
        admire the politeness of men whose morality we question.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     5. A kind of allegorical play, so termed because it consisted
        of discourses in praise of morality between actors
        representing such characters as Charity, Faith, Death,
        Vice, etc. Such plays were occasionally exhibited as late
        as the reign of Henry VIII. --Strutt.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     6. Intent; meaning; moral. [Obs.]
        [1913 Webster]
  
              Taketh the morality thereof, good men. --Chaucer.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  morality
       n 1: concern with the distinction between good and evil or right
            and wrong; right or good conduct [ant: {immorality}]
       2: motivation based on ideas of right and wrong [syn: {ethical
          motive}, {ethics}, {morals}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  153 Moby Thesaurus words for "morality":
     Grand Guignol, Passion play, Tom show, angelicalness, antimasque,
     assignment, audience success, ballet, behavior, bomb,
     broadcast drama, burlesque show, chalk talk, charade, cliff hanger,
     closet drama, comedy drama, conduct, critical success, customs,
     daytime serial, decency, dialogue, discourse, disquisition,
     documentary drama, drama, dramalogue, dramatic play,
     dramatic series, duodrama, duologue, epic theater, ethicality,
     ethicalness, ethics, exercise, experimental theater, exposition,
     extravaganza, failure, fair play, fairness, flop, gasser, giveaway,
     godliness, goodness, habits, happening, harangue, hit, hit show,
     homework, homily, honesty, ideals, improvisational drama,
     instruction, integrity, justice, lecture, lecture-demonstration,
     legitimate drama, lesson, masque, melodrama, minstrel show,
     miracle, miracle play, monodrama, monologue, moral, moral lesson,
     moral rectitude, morale, morality play, moralization, morals,
     mores, music drama, musical revue, mystery, mystery play,
     object lesson, opera, pageant, panel show, pantomime, pastoral,
     pastoral drama, piece, play, playlet, preachment, principles,
     probity, problem play, propriety, psychodrama, quiz show,
     radio drama, recital, recitation, rectitude, review, revue, right,
     right conduct, righteousness, rightness, saintlikeness,
     saintliness, sensational play, serial, sermon, set task, show,
     sitcom, situation comedy, sketch, skit, skull session, soap,
     soap opera, sociodrama, spectacle, stage play, stage show,
     standards, straight drama, success, suspense drama, tableau,
     tableau vivant, talk, talk show, task, teaching, teleplay,
     television drama, television play, theater of cruelty,
     total theater, uprightness, variety show, vaudeville,
     vaudeville show, vehicle, virtue, virtuousness,
     word-of-mouth success, work