1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. 2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude. 3. chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue. 4. a particular moral excellence. Cf. cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue. 5. a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses. 6. effective force; power or potency: a charm with the virtue of removing warts. 7. virtues,an order of angels. Cf. angel (def. 1). 8. manly excellence; valor. 9. by or in virtue of, by reason of; because of: to act by virtue of one's legitimate authority. 10. make a virtue of necessity, to make the best of a difficult or unsatisfactory situation.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Virtue
1. moral excellence; goodness; righteousness. 2. conformity of one's life and conduct to moral and ethical principles; uprightness; rectitude. 3. chastity; virginity: to lose one's virtue. 4. a particular moral excellence. Cf. cardinal virtues, natural virtue, theological virtue. 5. a good or admirable quality or property: the virtue of knowing one's weaknesses. 6. effective force; power or potency: a charm with the virtue of removing warts. 7. virtues,an order of angels. Cf. angel (def. 1). 8. manly excellence; valor. 9. by or in virtue of, by reason of; because of: to act by virtue of one's legitimate authority. 10. make a virtue of necessity, to make the best of a difficult or unsatisfactory situation.
