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of books received as genuine Holy Scriptures, called the sacred canon, or general rule of moral and religious duty, given by inspiration; the Bible; also, any one of the canonical Scriptures. See Canonical books, under Canonical, a.

One who is ruined; one who has made moral shipwreck; a reprobate. Lest . . . when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 1 Cor. ix. 27.

s of society or the church, or from equity and natural reason; the application of general moral rules to particular cases. The consideration of these nice and puzzling question in the science of ethics has given rise, in modern times, to a particular department of it, distinguished by the title of casuistry. Stewart. C…

of the number and property of citizens, and who also exercised the office of inspector of morals and conduct.

Belonging to a censor, or to the correction of public morals. Junius.

Moral quality; the principles and motives that control the life; as, a man of character; his character saves him from suspicion.

Moral purity. So dear to heaven is saintly chastity, That, when a soul is found sicerely so A thousand liveried angels lackey her. Milton.

Joseph Hall (1574 -- 1656), Bishop of Norwich, a divine eminent as a moralist.

lesiastical influence, authority, etc.; as, to array the power of the church against some moral evil. Remember that both church and state are properly the rulers of the people, only because they are their benefactors. Bulwer.

Free from moral defilement; sinless; pure. Create in me a clean heart, O God. Ps. li. 10 That I am whole, and clean, and meet for Heaven Tennyson.

The application to another of either physical or moral force. When the force is physical, and cannot be resisted, then the act produced by it is a nullity, so far as concerns the party coerced. When the force is moral, then the act, though voidable, is imputable to the party doing it, unless he be so paralyzed by terro…

To bind; to hold by a moral tie. [Obs.] I am combined by a sacred vow. Shak.

or irresistibly; to force; to constrain; to oblige; to necessitate, either by physical or moral force. Wolsey . . . compelled the people to pay up the whole subsidy at once. Hallam. And they compel one Simon . . . to bear his cross. Mark xv. 21.

e quality or state of being complex or involved; complication. The complexedness of these moral ideas. Locke.

Of or pertaining to constitutional complexion. A moral rather than a complexional timidity. Burke.

or the state of being compelled; the act of driving or urging by force or by physical or moral constraint; subjection to force. If reasons were as plentiful as blackberries, I would give no man a reason upon compulsion. Shak. With what complusion and laborious flight We sunk thus low. Milton.

The political morality taught by Confucius and his disciples, which forms the basis of the Chinese jurisprudence and education. It can hardly be called a religion, as it does not inculcate the worship of any god. S. W. Williams.

Congenital; connate; inborn. See Congenital. [Obs.] Many conclusions, of moral and intellectual truths, seem . . . to be congenite with us. Sir M. Hale.

To subdue or overcome by mental or moral power; to surmount; as, to conquer difficulties, temptatin, etc. By winning words to conquer hearts, And make persuasion do the work of fear. Milton.

ring by force; the act of overcoming or subduing opposition by force, whether physical or moral; subjection; subjugation; victory. In joys of conquest he resigns his breath. Addison. Three years sufficed for the conquest of the country. Prescott.