virtue

-
vir|tue /v'ɜːrtʃuː/ (virtues)
1 [N-UNCOUNT]
Virtue is thinking and doing what is right and avoiding what is wrong.
She could have established her own innocence and virtue easily enough.
= goodness
≠ vice
2 [N-COUNT]
A virtue is a good quality or way of behaving.
His virtue is patience...
Humility is considered a virtue.
3 [N-COUNT]
The virtue of something is an advantage or benefit that it has, especially in comparison with something else.
There was no virtue in returning to Calvi the way I had come...
4 [PREP-PHRASE]
You use by virtue of to explain why something happens or is true. (FORMAL)
The article stuck in my mind by virtue of one detail...
5 [PHRASE] V inflects, PHR n
If you make a virtue of something, you pretend that you did it because you chose to, although in fact you did it because you had to.
The movie makes a virtue out of its economy.

Popular posts from this blog

abreast

-
abreast / əbr'est / 1 [ADV] ADV after v, num ADV If people or things walk or move abreast , they are next to each other, side by side, and facing in the same direction. The steep pavement was too narrow for them to walk abreast. 2 [PREP-PHRASE] If you are abreast of someone or something, you are level with them or in line with them. As he drew abreast of the man he pretended to stumble. 3 [PREP-PHRASE] If you keep abreast of a subject, you know all the most recent facts about it. He will be keeping abreast of the news...
Read more

ablaze

-
ablaze / əbl'eɪz / 1 [ADJ] v n ADJ, v-link ADJ Something that is ablaze is burning very fiercely. Shops, houses, and vehicles were set ablaze. 2 [ADJ] v-link ADJ, usu ADJ with n If a place is ablaze with lights or colours, it is very bright because of them. The chamber was ablaze with light...
Read more

allowance

-
al|low|ance / əl'aʊəns / (allowances) 1 [N-COUNT] usu with supp, oft N of amount An allowance is money that is given to someone, usually on a regular basis, in order to help them pay for the things that they need. He lives on a single parent's allowance of £70 a week... 2 [N-COUNT] usu poss N A child's allowance is money that is given to him or her every week or every month by his or her parents. (mainly AM; in BRIT, use pocket money ) 3 [N-COUNT] usu with supp Your tax allowance is the amount of money that you are allowed to earn before you have to start paying income tax. (BRIT; in AM, use personal exemption ) ...those earning less than the basic tax allowance. 4 [N-COUNT] with supp A particular type of allowance is an amount of something that you are allowed in particular circumstances. Most of our flights have a baggage allowance of 44lbs per passenger. 5 [PHRASE] V and N inflect, oft PHR for n If you make allowances for something, y...
Read more