[Vocabulary] to 'violate' morality?

[Mehrgan]

Hello,

Would it be correct to use violate 'morality'?

(I thin I have heard "violate ethical codes", but I'm not sure if there is any verb meaning "to break morality".)

 

[jutfrank]

No, it wouldn't be correct.

What's the thought/sentence you have in mind?

 

[probus]

Violate morality is perfectly intelligible but not very natural. I'd prefer violates moral codes.

 

[Mehrgan]

I just meant to use ut in a context related to zoos. ��

 

[emsr2d2]

I just meant to use [STRIKE]ut[/STRIKE] it in a context related to zoos.

As requested in post #2, please provide the sentence in which you wanted to use it. Just giving context doesn't really tell us whether something is possible or not.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

I just meant to use it in a context related to zoos. ��

That's fine. Go ahead and use it, as Jut suggested. Give us a complete sentence so we can comment.

 

[jutfrank]

That's fine. Go ahead and use it, as Jut suggested.

To be clear, I would definitely not suggest using morality as the object of the verb violate under any circumstances.

You can violate rules, codes, laws, terms, and rights, but not morality.

 

[Tdol]

Breach is sometimes used with morality, but I would still use moral codes.

 

[Madness1]

How about "to forget your principles"? Or "abandon your principles"?

 

[Tdol]

They work, but are less specific.

 

[Madness1]

"Principles" are similar to "morality". I am wondering if the OP hasn't mixed them up.

 

[jutfrank]

I think we can assume that the OP means specifically 'moral principles'.

Yes, it's okay to say that one has 'abandoned one's principles'. However, Mehrgan and Madness1, you must give us complete sentences to work with.

(Questions like this can be posted to the Ask a Teacher section.)

 

[Madness1]

I am not asking for myself here. I know they are possible. I only want to see if the OP reads them and says: "Yes! That's exactly what I had in mind."

 

[Tdol]

A principle could be immoral.

 

[Mehrgan]

Well, I thought a sentence used in a context related to zoos would be predictable. All I had in mind was, '...keeping animals in zoos raises ethical issues...'.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

"Principles" are similar to "morality". I am wondering if the OP hasn't mixed them up.

Actually, principles are more similar to morals, tenets, and precepts.

You can name morals. You can't name moralities. So Mehrgan might mean morals.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello,

Would it be correct to use violate 'morality'?

I'd let you get away with it.

(I think I have heard "violate ethical codes", but I'm not sure if there is any verb meaning "to break morality".)

Some verbs you can look up are:

transgress
blaspheme
tresspass
sin