1. (a.) Relating to duty or obligation; pertaining to those intentions and actions of which right and wrong, virtue and vice, are predicated, or to the rules by which such intentions and actions ought to be directed; relating to the practice, manners, or conduct of men as social beings in relation to each other, as respects right and wrong, so far as they are properly subject to rules.

2. (a.) Conformed to accepted rules of right; acting in conformity with such rules; virtuous; just; as, a moral man. Used sometimes in distinction from religious; as, a moral rather than a religious life.

3. (a.) Capable of right and wrong action or of being governed by a sense of right; subject to the law of duty.

4. (a.) Acting upon or through one's moral nature or sense of right, or suited to act in such a manner; as, a moral arguments; moral considerations. Sometimes opposed to material and physical; as, moral pressure or support.

5. (a.) Supported by reason or probability; practically sufficient; -- opposed to legal or demonstrable; as, a moral evidence; a moral certainty.

6. (a.) Serving to teach or convey a moral; as, a moral lesson; moral tales.

7. (n.) The doctrine or practice of the duties of life; manner of living as regards right and wrong; conduct; behavior; -- usually in the plural.

8. (n.) The inner meaning or significance of a fable, a narrative, an occurrence, an experience, etc.; the practical lesson which anything is designed or fitted to teach; the doctrine meant to be inculcated by a fiction; a maxim.

9. (n.) A morality play. See Morality, 5.

10. (v. i.) To moralize.

Christian adage admonishment admonition alarm ana analects angelic aphorism apophthegm apothegm assignment axiological axiom behavior belief blameless brocard byword canon catchword caution caveat chalk talk chaste clean code collected sayings commandment conduct conscientious convention creditable current saying customs decent deferential deterrent example dictate dictum discourse disquisition distich duteous dutiful epigram erect estimable ethical ethics ethological example exercise exposition expression fair final notice final warning form formula full of integrity general principle gnome godly golden rule golden saying good guideline guiding principle habits harangue high-minded high-principled highly respectable hint homework homily honest honorable ideals immaculate imperative incorruptible instruction integrity inviolate irreproachable just law law-abiding law-loving law-revering lecture lecture-demonstration lesson manly maxim message mitzvah modest monition moral lesson moralistic morality moralization moralizing morals mores mot motto noble norm notice notification obedient object lesson observant oracle ordinance phrase pithy saying point practices preachment preachy precept prescript principium principle principled principles probity proper proverb proverbial saying proverbs pure recital recitation rectitude regulation reputable respectable respectful right right-minded righteous rubric rule saintlike saintly saw saying scruples scrupulous sentence sententious expression seraphic sermon sermonizing set task settled principle skull session slogan sloka spotless stainless standard standards sterling stock saying straight sutra talk task teaching teachy tenet text threat tip-off true-dealing true-devoted true-disposing true-souled true-spirited truehearted truism ultimatum unblemished uncorrupt uncorrupted undefiled unimpeachable unspotted unstained unsullied untarnished upright uprighteous upstanding verbum sapienti verse virtuous warning warning piece wisdom wisdom literature wise saying witticism word words of wisdom working principle working rule worthy yeomanly