on principle

1. 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]

2. According to a fixed rule or practice. For example, The police were locking up the demonstrators on principle . [First half of 1800s]

3. on general principle . For no special reason, in general, as in Dean won't touch broccoli on general principle . [First half of 1800s]

Example Sentences

Dutch center-left parties have rejected working with Wilders on principle.

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Why poke that bear on principle when you can just let the process work and cash that megamerged check?

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Yet, when faced with adversity, Adams never knuckled up for any fights on principle, choosing only to take the easiest and most comfortable way out.

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But it is also on principle important to investigate why the president reportedly shut down the planned release of Epstein-related documents immediately after being told that his name appeared in them.

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“What happens in an outlier case is it gets intensely personal, and there’s public embarrassment, there’s public accusations, and then it becomes about standing on principle,” Doll said.

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