principle meaning

• Noun: principle  prinsupul
  1. A basic generalization that is accepted as true and that can be used as a basis for reasoning or conduct
     "their principles of composition characterized all their works"
     - rule 
  2. A rule or standard especially of good behaviour
     "a man of principle"; "he will not violate his principles" 
  3. A basic truth or law or assumption
     "the principles of democracy" 
  4. A rule or law concerning a natural phenomenon or the function of a complex system
     "the principle of the conservation of mass"; "the principle of jet propulsion"
     - rule 
  5. Rule of personal conduct
     - precept 
  6. (law) an explanation of the fundamental reasons (especially an explanation of the working of some device in terms of laws of nature)
     "the principles of internal-combustion engines"
     - rationale

  Sounds like: principal

  Derived forms: principles

  Type of: explanation, generalisation [Brit], generality, generalization, law, law of nature, natural law, prescript, rule, value

  Part of: ethic, ethical code

  Encyclopedia: Principle

• 
  [Business]
  noun [C]

  ABILITY-TO-PAY PRINCIPLE, ACCOUNTING PRINCIPLE, BENEFIT PRINCIPLE, PARETO'S PRINCIPLE, STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLE

  1

  a law, rule or theory that sth is based on:

  The principles of banking have not changed much over the centuries.

  Stange offers six principles for helping people work through a business crisis.

  2

  a general or scientific law that explains how sth works or why sth happens:

  the principle that heat rises

  SYN LAW (5)

  IDIOMS

  in principle

  1

  if sth can be done in principle, there is no reason why it should not be done although it has not been done yet:

  In principle, such loans have always been available.

  2

  in general but not in detail:

  The companies reached an agreement in principle last week.

• 
  [Medicine]
  n
  1 : a comprehensive and fundamental law, doctrine, or assumption
  2 : an ingredient (as a chemical) that exhibits or imparts a characteristic quality ‹the active principle of a drug›
  

• in principle:    Adverb: in princip ...
• on principle:    1. On grounds of ( ...
• acceleration principle:     or accelerator pr ...

Examples

1. his principles sit loosely on him.
2. an important principle has been laid down.
3. the principle is inapplicable to the case.
4. do you believe in the principle of hierarchy?
5. these machines work on the same principle.