on principle
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On moral or ethical grounds. As James Russell Lowell wrote about Alexander Pope in 1871, “There was a time when I could not read Pope, but disliked him on principle.” [First half of 1800s]
According to a fixed rule or practice. For example, The police were locking up the demonstrators on principle. [First half of 1800s]
on general principle. For no special reason, in general, as in Dean won't touch broccoli on general principle. [First half of 1800s]
QUIZ
ARE YOU A TRUE BLUE CHAMPION OF THESE "BLUE" SYNONYMS?
We could talk until we're blue in the face about this quiz on words for the color "blue," but we think you should take the quiz and find out if you're a whiz at these colorful terms.
Question 1 of 8
Which of the following words describes “sky blue”?
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Words nearby on principle
on order, on pain of, on paper, on-peak, on pins and needles, on principle, on purpose, ONR, on-ramp, on-record, on relief
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.