Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Virtue
Vir′tue
(?; 135)
, Noun.
1.
Manly strength or courage; bravery; daring; spirit; valor.
[Obs.]
Shak.
Built too strong
For force or
For force or
virtue
ever to expugn. Chapman.
2.
Active quality or power; capacity or power adequate to the production of a given effect; energy; strength; potency; efficacy;
as, the
. virtue
of a medicineJesus, immediately knowing in himself that
virtue
had gone out of him, turned him about. Mark v. 30.
A man was driven to depend for his security against misunderstanding, upon the pure
virtue
of his syntax. De Quincey.
The
virtue
of his midnight agony. Keble.
3.
Energy or influence operating without contact of the material or sensible substance.
She moves the body which she doth possess,
Yet no part toucheth, but by
Yet no part toucheth, but by
virtue’s
touch. Sir. J. Davies.
4.
Excellence; value; merit; meritoriousness; worth.
I made
virtue
of necessity. Chaucer.
In the Greek poets, . . . the economy of poems is better observed than in Terence, who thought the sole grace and
virtue
of their fable the sticking in of sentences. B. Jonson.
5.
Specifically, moral excellence; integrity of character; purity of soul; performance of duty.
Virtue
only makes our bliss below. Pope.
If there's Power above us,
And that there is all nature cries aloud
Through all her works, he must delight in
And that there is all nature cries aloud
Through all her works, he must delight in
virtue
. Addison.
6.
A particular moral excellence;
“The very virtue of compassion.” as, the
. virtue
of temperance, of charity, etcShak.
“Remember all his virtues.” Addison.
7.
Specifically: Chastity; purity; especially, the chastity of women; virginity.
H. I believe the girl has
M. And if she has, I should be the last man in the world to attempt to corrupt it.
virtue
.M. And if she has, I should be the last man in the world to attempt to corrupt it.
Goldsmith.
8.
pl.
One of the orders of the celestial hierarchy.
Thrones, dominations, princedoms,
virtues
, powers. Milton.
Cardinal virtues
. See under
– Cardinal
, Adj.
In virtue of
, or By virtue of
through the force of; by authority of.
“He used to travel through Greece by virtue of this fable, which procured him reception in all the towns.” Addison.
“This they shall attain, partly in virtue of the promise made by God, and partly in virtue of piety.” Atterbury.
– Theological virtues
, the three virtues, faith, hope, and charity. See
1 Cor. xiii. 13.
Webster 1828 Edition
Virtue
VIRTUE
,Noun.
1.
Strength; that substance or quality of physical bodies, by which they act and produce effects on other bodies. In this literal and proper sense, we speak of the virtue or virtues of plants in medicine, and the virtues of drugs. In decoctions, the virtues of plants are extracted. By long standing in the open air, the virtues are lost.2.
Bravery valor. This was the predominant signification of virtus among the Romans.Trust to thy single virtue.
[This sense is nearly or quite obsolete.]
3.
Moral goodness; the practice of moral duties and the abstaining from vice, or a conformity of life and conversation to the moral law. In this sense, virtue may be, and in many instances must be, distinguished from religion. The practice of moral duties merely from motives of convenience, or from compulsion, or from regard to reputation, is virtue, as distinct from religion. The practice of moral duties from sincere love to God and his laws, is virtue and religion. In this sense it is true,That virtue only makes our bliss below.
Virtue is nothing but voluntary obedience to truth.
4.
A particular moral excellence; as the virtue of temperance, of chastity, of charity.Remember all his virtues.
5.
Acting power; something efficacious.Jesus, knowing that virtue had gone out of him, turned - Mark 3.
6.
Secret agency; efficacy without visible or material action.She moves the body which she doth possess,
Yet no part toucheth, but by virtue's touch.
7.
Excellence; or that which constitutes value and merit.- Terence, who thought the sole grace and virtue of their fable, the sticking in of sentences.
8.
One of the orders of the celestial hierarchy.Thrones, dominations, princedoms, virtues, powers.
9.
Efficacy; power.He used to travel through Greece by virtue of this fable, which procured him reception in all the towns.
10.
Legal efficacy or power; authority. A man administers the laws by virtue of a commission.In virtue, in consequence; by the efficacy or authority.
This they shall attain, partly in virtue of the promise of God, and partly in virtue of piety.