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View synonyms for

vice

1

[vahys]

noun

  1. an immoral or evil habit or practice.

    These biblical verses cover the vices of boastfulness and pride, miserliness, and hypocrisy.

    Synonyms: , , ,
    Antonyms:
  2. immoral conduct; depraved or degrading behavior.

    In the Christian religion there are numerous instances of sudden conversions from a life of vice to one of virtue.

    Synonyms: , , , , , ,
    Antonyms: ,
  3. sexual immorality, especially prostitution.

    Synonyms: , ,
  4. a particular form of depravity.

  5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming.

    a minor vice in his literary style.

    Synonyms: , , , , ,
  6. (of a horse’s behavior) a bad habit.

    Allowing your horse turnout in a paddock may prevent vices such as weaving or wood chewing normally observed in a stall.

  7. Sometimes Vice vice squad.

    Detective Crockett was reassigned from the Robbery Division to Vice last year.

  8. Vice, a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.

  9. Archaic.a physical defect, flaw, or infirmity.

    In most cases, attempts to relieve the symptoms will be of little avail without at the same time relieving or removing the constitutional vice which has induced this condition.



adjective

  1. of or relating to the vice squad, or to the threats to public order it is tasked to police, such as gambling, pornography, prostitution, and narcotics: the vice division of the police department.

    a vice cop;

    the vice division of the police department.

vice

2

[vahys]

noun

viced, vicing 
  1. vise.

vice

3

[vahy-see, -suh, vahys]

preposition

  1. instead of; in the place of.

    The committee was reorganized, with Mr. Silver, vice Mr. Cooper, as the head.

vice-

4
  1. a combining form meaning “deputy,” used in the formation of compound words, usually titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official denoted by the base word.

    viceroy; vice-chancellor.

vice

1

/ ɪ /

noun

  1. an immoral, wicked, or evil habit, action, or trait

  2. habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious, immoral, or degrading practices

  3. a specific form of pernicious conduct, esp prostitution or sexual perversion

  4. a failing or imperfection in character, conduct, etc

    smoking is his only vice

  5. obsoletepathol any physical defect or imperfection

  6. a bad trick or disposition, as of horses, dogs, etc

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

vice

2

/ ɪ /

adjective

    1. (prenominal) serving in the place of or as a deputy for

    2. ( in combination )

      viceroy

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

noun

  1. informala person who serves as a deputy to another

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

vice

3

/ ɪ /

noun

  1. an appliance for holding an object while work is done upon it, usually having a pair of jaws

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. (tr) to grip (something) with or as if with a vice

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Vice

4

/ ɪ /

noun

  1. (in English morality plays) a character personifying a particular vice or vice in general

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

vice

5

/ ˈɪɪ /

preposition

  1. instead of; as a substitute for

“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other Word Forms

  • ˈ adjective
  • ˈˌ adjective
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Word History and Origins

Origin of vice1

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English, from Anglo-French, Old French, from Latin vitium “a fault, defect, vice”

Origin of vice2

First recorded in 1760–70; from Latin: literally, “instead of,” ablative of vicis (genitive; not attested in nominative) “recurring action, turn, interchange, alternation”

Origin of vice3

Middle English ≪ Latin vice vice 3
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Word History and Origins

Origin of vice1

C13: via Old French from Latin vitium a defect

Origin of vice2

C18: from Latin vice, from vicis interchange

Origin of vice3

C15: from Old French vis a screw, from Latin īپ vine, plant with spiralling tendrils (hence the later meaning)

Origin of vice4

C16: from Latin, ablative of vicis change
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Synonym Study

See fault.
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Debora, you have a character, a female vice president, who’s been doing the bidding of an older president whose capabilities have been called into question, and spoiler alert, she becomes president.

From

A few weeks later, Oyewole quit his job as the vice president of creative, experiential and content development at Def Jam Recording.

From

“It’s a new way of thinking about scholarship support that lets you extend your dollars” further than by simply giving away money, said Alex Harris, vice president at the Harold K.L.

From

“Today we are seeing an uptick in the chaotic presence of immigration enforcement, particularly the Border Patrol,” said Elizabeth Strater, vice president of the United Farm Workers.

From

A university's decision to give its vice chancellor a 13% pay rise before cutting dozens of jobs has been criticised by a trade union.

From

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Vicar of Christvice-admiral