Advertisement

Advertisement

View synonyms for vice

vice

1

[ vahys ]

noun

  1. an immoral or evil habit or practice:

    These biblical verses cover the vices of boastfulness and pride, miserliness, and hypocrisy.

    Synonyms: depravity, wrong, wrongdoing, fault

    Antonyms: virtue

  2. 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.

    Synonyms: corruptness, badness, corruption, wickedness, iniquity, sin, immorality

    Antonyms: morality, virtue

  3. sexual immorality, especially prostitution.

    Synonyms: wantonness, licentiousness, degeneracy

  4. a particular form of depravity.
  5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming:

    a minor vice in his literary style.

    Synonyms: weakness, foible, flaw, imperfection, blemish, stain

  6. (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.

  7. Sometimes Vice. vice squad ( def ):

    Detective Crockett was reassigned from the Robbery Division to Vice last year.

  8. Vice, a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.
  9. 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.



adjective

  1. 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: the vice division of the police department.

    a vice cop;

    the vice division of the police department.

vice

2

[ vahys ]

noun

, viced, vic·ing.

vice

3

[ vahy-see, -suh, vahys ]

preposition

  1. instead of; in the place of:

    The committee was reorganized, with Mr. Silver, vice Mr. Cooper, as the head.

vice-

4
  1. 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.

vice

1

/ vaɪs /

adjective

    1. prenominal serving in the place of or as a deputy for
    2. ( in combination )

      viceroy

“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


noun

  1. informal.
    a person who serves as a deputy to another
“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

vice

2

/ vaɪs /

noun

  1. an immoral, wicked, or evil habit, action, or trait
  2. habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious, immoral, or degrading practices
  3. a specific form of pernicious conduct, esp prostitution or sexual perversion
  4. a failing or imperfection in character, conduct, etc

    smoking is his only vice

  5. obsolete.
    pathol any physical defect or imperfection
  6. a bad trick or disposition, as of horses, dogs, etc
“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

Vice

3

/ vaɪs /

noun

  1. (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

vice

4

/ ˈvaɪsɪ /

preposition

  1. instead of; as a substitute for
“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

vice

5

/ vaɪs /

noun

  1. an appliance for holding an object while work is done upon it, usually having a pair of jaws
“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

verb

  1. tr to grip (something) with or as if with a vice
“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
Discover More

Derived Forms

  • ˈviceless, adjective
  • ˈviceˌlike, adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of vice1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin vitium “a fault, defect, vice”

Origin of vice2

First recorded in 1760–70; from Latin: literally, “instead of,” ablative of vicis (genitive; not attested in nominative) “recurring action, turn, interchange, alternation”

Origin of vice3

Middle English Latin vice vice 3
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of vice1

C18: from Latin vice, from vicis interchange

Origin of vice2

C13: via Old French from Latin vitium a defect

Origin of vice3

C16: from Latin, ablative of vicis change

Origin of vice4

C15: from Old French vis a screw, from Latin vītis vine, plant with spiralling tendrils (hence the later meaning)
Discover More

Synonym Study

See fault.
Discover More

Example Sentences

With Vice, that was an example of you keeping yourself interested too, right?

BEST ACTOR Joaquin Phoenix, Inherent Vice There is no better actor—right now—than Joaquin Phoenix.

Stanley Richards, Senior Vice President of the Fortune Society, gave a tour along with a few residents.

Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy, summed up the Southern attitude in his 1861 Cornerstone Speech.

“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.

And 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.

On 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.

The chief official of the court is called a chancellor, the others vice chancellors.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement