vice
1an immoral or evil habit or practice: These biblical verses cover the vices of boastfulness and pride, miserliness, and hypocrisy.
immoral conduct; depraved or degrading behavior: In the Christian religion there are numerous instances of sudden conversions from a life of vice to one of virtue.
sexual immorality, especially prostitution.
a particular form of depravity.
a fault, defect, or shortcoming: a minor vice in his literary style.
(of a horse’s behavior) a bad habit: Allowing your horse turnout in a paddock may prevent vices such as weaving or wood chewing normally observed in a stall.
Sometimes Vice . vice squad: Detective Crockett was reassigned from the Robbery Division to Vice last year.
Vice, a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.
Archaic. a physical defect, flaw, or infirmity: In most cases, attempts to relieve the symptoms will be of little avail without at the same time relieving or removing the constitutional vice which has induced this condition.
of or relating to the vice squad, or to the threats to public order it is tasked to police, such as gambling, pornography, prostitution, and narcotics: a vice cop;the vice division of the police department.
Origin of vice
1synonym study For vice
Other words for vice
Opposites for vice
Words Nearby vice
Other definitions for vice (2 of 4)
Other definitions for vice (3 of 4)
instead of; in the place of: The committee was reorganized, with Mr. Silver, vice Mr. Cooper, as the head.
Origin of vice
3Other definitions for vice- (4 of 4)
a combining form meaning “deputy,” used in the formation of compound words, usually titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official denoted by the base word: viceroy; vice-chancellor.
Origin of vice-
4Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
How to use vice in a sentence
The vice president would sometimes dial her cellphone, Troye said.
Former Pence aide says she will vote for Biden because of Trump’s ‘flat out disregard for human life’ during pandemic | Josh Dawsey | September 17, 2020 | Washington Post“There was a lot of shifting around,” says Gary Davies, pro vice chancellor for student recruitment.
UK Universities Predicted a COVID-19 Crash. They Got the Opposite | Fiona Zublin | September 17, 2020 | OzyIf they can’t do it by January 20, then power goes to the vice president, who’s selected by a majority vote of senators.
Last year, Apple tapped Sabih Khan, 54, as senior vice president of operations.
He named notorious homophobe Mike Pence as his vice president, who famously signed a bill as Indiana governor allowing businesses to discriminate against LGBTQ customers.
With vice, that was an example of you keeping yourself interested too, right?
‘Archer’ Creator Adam Reed Spills Season 6 Secrets, From Surreal Plotlines to Life Post-ISIS | Marlow Stern | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTBEST ACTOR Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent vice There is no better actor—right now—than Joaquin Phoenix.
Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’ | Marlow Stern | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTStanley Richards, Senior vice President of the Fortune Society, gave a tour along with a few residents.
His First Day Out Of Jail After 40 Years: Adjusting To Life Outside | Justin Rohrlich | January 3, 2015 | THE DAILY BEASTAlexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, summed up the Southern attitude in his 1861 Cornerstone Speech.
Steve Scalise Shows There’s a Fine Line Between Confederate & Southern | Lloyd Green | January 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST“We look for the qualities that are evocative of V.S.O.P Privilege,” explained Hennessy Senior vice President Rodney Williams.
When we speak against one capital vice, we ought to speak against its opposite; the middle betwixt both is the point for virtue.
Pearls of Thought | Maturin M. BallouAnd it would be hard indeed, if so remote a prince's notions of virtue and vice were to be offered as a standard for all mankind.
Gulliver's Travels | Jonathan SwiftOn the other hand, many men, by their own vice and intemperance, disqualify themselves for conversation.
So the first question has been whether to reinforce Gaba Tepe from Helles or vice versa.
Gallipoli Diary, Volume I | Ian HamiltonThe chief official of the court is called a chancellor, the others vice chancellors.
Putnam's Handy Law Book for the Layman | Albert Sidney Bolles
British Dictionary definitions for vice (1 of 5)
/ (vaɪs) /
an immoral, wicked, or evil habit, action, or trait
habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious, immoral, or degrading practices
a specific form of pernicious conduct, esp prostitution or sexual perversion
a failing or imperfection in character, conduct, etc: smoking is his only vice
pathol obsolete any physical defect or imperfection
a bad trick or disposition, as of horses, dogs, etc
Origin of vice
1Derived forms of vice
- viceless, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for vice (2 of 5)
often US vise
/ (vaɪs) /
an appliance for holding an object while work is done upon it, usually having a pair of jaws
(tr) to grip (something) with or as if with a vice
Origin of vice
2Derived forms of vice
- vicelike or US viselike, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for vice (3 of 5)
/ (vaɪs) /
(prenominal) serving in the place of or as a deputy for
(in combination): viceroy
informal a person who serves as a deputy to another
Origin of vice
3British Dictionary definitions for vice (4 of 5)
/ (ˈvaɪsɪ) /
instead of; as a substitute for
Origin of vice
4British Dictionary definitions for Vice (5 of 5)
/ (vaɪs) /
(in English morality plays) a character personifying a particular vice or vice in general
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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