| 释义 |
unˈprincipled, ppl. a.
[un-1 8.]
1. Not instructed or grounded in something.
1634Milton Comus 367, I do not think my sister so to seek, Or so unprincipl'd in vertues book. 1644― Educ. 3 Others betake them to State affairs, with souls so unprincipl'd in vertue, and true generous breeding, that [etc.].
2. Of persons, etc.: Not possessed of fixed, sound, or honourable principles of conduct.
1644Milton Judgm. Bucer 26 God..will also give them..to inform themselvs rightly in the midst of an unprincipl'd age. 1681J. Flavel Meth. Grace v. 102 An unprincipled professor must be squeezed by some weight of affliction, ere he will yield one tear. 1771Goldsm. Hist. Eng. I. 353 Every office..was bestowed on these unprincipled strangers. 1796F. Burney Camilla V. 506 [It] opened to his unprincipled mind a scheme yet more flagitious. 1849Macaulay Hist. Eng. vi. II. 113 Several men not less unprincipled than Sunderland. 1878E. Jenkins Haverholme 30 A couple of unprincipled rascals.
absol.1834Tait's Mag. May 222/2 These clamours of the wealthy, the timid, or the unprincipled.
3. Based upon, exhibiting, want of principle.
1782V. Knox Ess. cxx. (1819) II. 9 There are, indeed, many who are esteemed good sort of persons, but whose goodness is unprincipled. 1797Burke Regic. Peace ii. ⁋22 Whilst the monarchies subsisted, this unprincipled cession was what the influence of the elder branch..never dared to attempt on the younger. 1841Thackeray Gt. Hoggarty Diam. vii, I thought this rather cruel and unprincipled conduct. 1871Freeman Hist. Ess. Ser. i. xi. 331 The ambition of Philip the Good was quite..unprincipled.
Hence unˈprincipledness.
a1812Buckminster Serm. (1827) 362 Their strange union..of exquisite sensibility and practical unprincipledness. 1865Pall Mall G. 12 Dec. 2 A settled unprincipledness has been eating its way into the public opinion of Europe. |