Vice

/vaɪs/ · noun

Meaning

Bad or immoral behaviour. (Especially often, a habit that harms oneself or others).

Definitions by Sense

1. Bad or immoral behaviour. (Especially often, a habit that harms oneself or others)
2. (law) Any of various crimes related (depending on jurisdiction) to weapons, prostitution, pornography, gambling, alcohol, tobacco, or drugs.
3. (law enforcement, slang) Clipping of vice squad.
4. A defect in the temper or behaviour of a horse, such as to make the animal dangerous, to injure its health, or to diminish its usefulness.
5. (Commonwealth) Alternative spelling of vise (“mechanical screw apparatus used for clamping”).
6. A tool for drawing lead into cames, or flat grooved rods, for casements.
7. (architecture) A winding or spiral staircase.
8. (obsolete) A grip or grasp.

Example Sentences

Pride is a vice, not a virtue.

Smoking was a vice Sally picked up in high school.

Shepard: I wear a lot of hats, Mr. Vargas. Some days I shut down criminals. Some days I defuse nukes. Some days I like to enjoy private vices. You understand me?

It's a rush you can't deny / A little violence is the ultimate drug / Let's get high / You've been powerless to your vices / Self-control defies you

I should not be left to my own devices / they come with prices and vices / I end up in crisis / Tale as old as time

So a horse with say, navicular disease, making him suitable only for light hacking, would probably be unsound, whereas rearing would be a vice, being a "defect in the temper... making it dangerous". A vice can however render a horse unsound - possibly a crib biter will damage its wind.

Fang. If I but fiſt him once: if he come but within my Vice.

Camillo. As he had ſeen’t, or beene an Instrument / To vice you to't, that you haue toucht his Queene / Forbiddenly.

Synonyms for vice

Antonyms for vice

Related Words

Word Forms

• vices
• vicing
• viced

Usage Notes

Choose a synonym only when it preserves the intended meaning, tone, and grammar of the full sentence.

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