principle
noun
ˈprɪnsɪəpəl noun
1
MORAL RULE
道德准则
a moral rule or belief about what is right and wrong, that influences how you behave 道德原则，行为准则 C,U
Schools try to teach children a set of principles .
学校设法教给孩子们一套道德准则。
He prided himself on his high moral principles (=strong ideas about how it is right or wrong to behave) .
他为自己有很高的道德原则而感到自豪。
He’s got no principles at all!
他毫无道德准则！
He refused to give me any more money as a matter of principle .
他不肯再给我钱，对他来说这是个原则问题。
against sb’s principles
It’s against my principles to accept gifts from clients.
接受客户礼物违背我的原则。
man/woman of principle (a man or woman with strong moral ideas) 有原则的男人/女人
He considered himself to be a man of principle.
他认为自己是个有原则的人。
2
IDEA BEHIND STH
某事物所依据的思想
the basic idea that a plan or system is based on 原则，原理，基本的观念 C
The general principle is that education should be available to all children up to the age of 16.
总的原则是，16 岁以下儿童都应该接受教育。
basic/fundamental/guiding principle
the basic principles of business management
企业管理的基本原理
[+ of ]
the principles of French law
法国法律的指导原则
principle that
Reflexology is based on the principle that specific areas on the feet correspond to different parts of the body.
反射疗法所依据的原理是，足部的特定部位都对应着身体的不同部位。
on a principle
The project worked on the principle that each person’s experience was equally valuable.
这个项目的基本原则是，每一个人的经验都同样宝贵。
[+ behind ]
the principles behind government policies
政府政策背后的原则
He called for a return to first principles (=the most important ideas) of road safety for children.
他呼吁回归儿童道路安全的根本原则。
Similar principles apply in the case of older children (=the principles are the same as others that have been mentioned) .
类似的原则也适用于年纪大些的儿童。
3
in principle
a. if something is possible in principle, there is no good reason why it should not happen, but it has not actually happened yet b. if you agree to something in principle, you agree about a general plan or idea but have not yet considered the details 原则上，基本上，大体上
In principle, the new software should make the accounting system a lot simpler.
从理论上说，这个新的软件应该能使财务系统方便很多。
They have accepted the idea in principle.
他们基本上已接受了这种观点。
The government has agreed in principle to a referendum.
政府已基本同意进行全民公决。
4
RULES OF A PROCESS
某个过程的规律
a rule which explains the way something such as a machine works, or which explains a natural force in the universe Do not confuse the noun (=a basic rule) with the noun and adjective , which have the same pronunciation but different meanings. 不要混淆名词 principle 和既是名词也是形容词的 principal，两者发音相同但意思不同。 C
Archimedes’ principle
阿基米德定律
[+ of ]
the basic principles of physics
物理学的基本定律