principle
noun
- guiding rule or inevitable consequence of something, such as the laws observed in nature
- discovery, statement or rule being the foundation for other considerations, statements or activites
Wiktionary
Pronunciation: /ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pəl/ / [ˈpɹɪn.sɪ.pɫ̩] / /ˈpɹɪn.sə.pəl/
noun
Etymology: From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.
- A fundamental assumption, fundamental law or guiding belief.
“We need some sort of principles to reason from.”
“Let us consider ‘my dog is asleep on the floor’ again. Frege thinks that this sentence can be analyzed in various different ways. Instead of treating it as expressing the application of __ is asleep on the floor to my dog, we can think of it as expressing the application of the concept my dog is asleep on __ to the object the floor (see Frege 1919). Frege recognizes what is now a commonplace in the logical analysis of natural language. We can attribute more than one logical form to a single sentence. Let us call this the principle of multiple analyses. Frege does not claim that the principle always holds, but as we shall see, modern type theory does claim this.”
- A rule used to choose among solutions to a problem.
“The principle of least privilege holds that a process should only receive the permissions it needs.”
“Mr. Genachowski proposed codifying the new principles with four existing principles issued several years ago by the F.C.C. They say that network operators cannot prevent users from accessing lawful Internet content, applications and services of their choice, nor can they prohibit users from attaching nonharmful devices to the network.”
- Moral rule or aspect.
“I don't doubt your principles.”
“You are clearly a person of principle.”
- A rule or law of nature, or the basic idea on how the laws of nature are applied.
“Bernoulli's principle”
“The Pauli Exclusion Principle prevents two fermions from occupying the same state.”
- A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
“Many believe that life is the result of some vital principle.”
- A fundamental essence, particularly one producing a given quality.
“the active principle”
“Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.”
- 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.”
- An original faculty or endowment.
“those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering”
- Misspelling of principal.
- A beginning.
“Doubting sad end of principle unsound.”
verb
Etymology: From Middle English principle, from Old French principe, from Latin prīncipium (“beginning, foundation”), from prīnceps (“first”). By surface analysis, prīmus (“first”) + -ceps (“catcher”); the former ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *preh₂- (“before”); see also prince.
- To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet or rule of conduct.
“Let an enthusiast be principled that he or his teacher is inspired.”