Immorality \Im`mo*ral"i*ty\, n.; pl. Immoralities. [Cf. F.
immoralit['e].]
1. The state or quality of being immoral; vice.
[1913 Webster]
The root of all immorality. --Sir W.
Temple.
[1913 Webster]
2. An immoral act or practice.
[1913 Webster]
Luxury and sloth and then a great drove of heresies
and immoralities broke loose among them. --Milton.
[1913 Webster]
The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48
immorality
n 1: the quality of not being in accord with standards of right
or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense
of the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction"
[ant: morality]
2: morally objectionable behavior [syn: evil, wickedness, iniquity]
WordNet (r) 2.0
29 Moby Thesaurus words for "immorality":
amorality, backsliding, carnality, corruption, criminality,
delinquency, depravity, evil, evil nature, impurity,
moral delinquency, peccability, prodigality, recidivism,
unangelicalness, unchastity, uncleanness, ungodliness, ungoodness,
unmorality, unrighteousness, unsaintliness, unvirtuousness, vice,
viciousness, wantonness, waywardness, wickedness, wrongdoing
Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0
IMMORALITY. that which is contra bonos mores. In England, it is not
punishable in some cases, at the common law, on, account of the
ecclesiastical jurisdictions: e. g. adultery. But except in cases belonging
to the ecclesiastical courts, the court of king's bench is the custom morum,
and may punish delicto contra bonos mores. 3 Burr. Rep. 1438; 1 Bl. Rep. 94;
2 Strange, 788. In Pennsylvania, and most, if not all the United States, all
such cases come under one and the same jurisdiction.
2. Immoral contracts are generally void; an agreement in consideration
of future illicit cohabitation between the parties; 3 Burr. 1568; S. C. 1
Bl. Rep. 517; 1 Esp. R. 13; 1 B. & P. 340, 341; an agreement for the value
of libelous and immoral pictures, 4 Esp. R. 97; or for printing a libel, 2
Stark. R. 107; or for an immoral wager, Chit. Contr. 156, cannot, therefore,
be enforced. For whatever arises from an immoral or illegal consideration,
is void: quid turpi ex causa promissum est non valet. Inst. 3, 20, 24.
3. It is a general rule, that whenever an agreement appears to be
illegal, immoral, or against public policy, a court of justice leaves the
parties where it finds them; when the agreement has been executed, the court
will not rescind it; when executory, the count will not help the execution.
4 Ohio R. 419; 4 John. R. 419; 11 John. R. 388; 12 John. R. 306; 19 John. R.
341; 3 Cowen's R. 213; 2 Wils. R. 341.
Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856)
evil, iniquity, wickedness
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