mor‧al 1 S3 W2 / mɒrəl $ mɔ- / 形容词

1 [仅用于名词前] relating to the principles of what is right and wrong behaviour, and with the difference between good and evil → morally , ethical :

It is easy to have an opinion on a moral issue like the death penalty for murder.

moral philosophy

moral standards/values/principles

I think you can run a business to the highest moral standards.

If we accept that certain babies should be allowed to die, we place doctors in a moral dilemma .

Man is gifted with a moral sense by which he distinguishes good from evil.

2 [仅用于名词前] based on your ideas about what is right, rather than on what is legal or practical :

The book places a high moral value on marriage and the family unit.

The UN feels that it has the moral authority (= influence because people accept that its beliefs are right ) to send troops to the area.

moral duty/obligation/responsibility

A man has a moral duty to obey the law.

It isn’t just lack of moral fibre (= lack of the emotional strength to do what you believe is right ) which leads to a rising divorce rate.

3 moral support encouragement that you give by expressing approval or interest, rather than by giving practical help :

Dad came along to give me some moral support.

4 moral victory a situation in which you show that your beliefs are right and fair, even if you do not win :

Through Joan of Arc, France won a great moral victory.

5 always behaving in a way that is based on strong principles about what is right and wrong 反义词 immoral , amoral :

a moral man of high integrity

6 take/claim/seize the moral high ground to claim that you are the only person who does what is morally right in a situation, with the intention of being noticed and considered to be good by the public

7 moral compass a way of recognizing what kind of behaviour is right or wrong :

Has the government lost its moral compass?

COLLOCATIONS

moral + NOUN

a moral standard/principle Has there been a decline in moral standards in our society?

a moral value (= behaviour that a society believes is right and good ) Schools teach moral values both by example and in lessons.

a moral duty/obligation (= something you must do for moral reasons ) If you have a pet, you have a moral obligation to take care of it.

a moral judgment We shouldn’t make moral judgements about the way other people live their lives.

a moral imperative (= something that must be done for moral reasons ) He felt that rescuing the hostages was a moral imperative.

a moral code (= a set of beliefs about right and wrong that influences your behaviour ) His own moral code is based on his religious beliefs.

sb’s moral authority (= influence that someone has because people believe their principles are right ) Corruption in government destroys its moral authority.

moral fibre British English , moral fiber American English (= the emotional strength to do what is right ) Single parents are sometimes treated as though they lack moral fibre.

a moral issue a debate on the moral issues surrounding the use of animals in medical research

a moral dilemma (= a difficult decision for moral reasons ) Doctors face a moral dilemma when a patient can be kept alive but has no chance of real recovery.

sb’s moral sense (= a feeling for what is right and what is wrong ) Children’s moral sense develops over a number of years.

moral superiority (= the idea that you are morally right and other people are not ) He connects high social class with moral superiority.

moral philosophy (= the study of moral principles and rules ) a class in moral philosophy

the moral order (= the way societies are organized according to moral standards ) Hitler posed the greatest threat to the moral order of the world that history has ever seen.