Prin"ci*ple (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Principled (?);
p. pr. & vb. n.
Principling (?).]
To equip with principles; to establish, or fix, in certain principles; to impress with any tenet, or
rule of conduct, good or ill.
Governors should be well
principled.
L'Estrange. Let an enthusiast be
principled that he or his teacher is inspired.
Locke.
Prin"ci*ple (?), n. [F. principe, L. principium
beginning, foundation, fr. princeps, - cipis.
See Prince.]
1. Beginning; commencement. [Obs.]
Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Spenser.
2. A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance
or energy; primordial substance;
ultimate element, or cause.
The soul
of man is an active principle.
Tillotson.
3. An original faculty or endowment.
Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Chaucer. Those active principles whose
direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Stewart. 4. A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which
others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.
Therefore, leaving the
principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
Heb. vi. 1.
A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as
hurtful as a bad.
Milton.
5. A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or
belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a
right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as,
a person of
no principle.
All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
Law.
6. (Chem.) Any original inherent constituent which
characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can
usually be separated by analysis; -- applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.
Cathartine is the
bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Gregory. Bitter principle, Principle of contradiction, etc. See under Bitter, Contradiction, etc.
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