Bitter principle, Principle of contradiction, etc. See under Bitter, Contradiction, etc.

Principally
(Prin"ci*pal*ly) adv. In a principal manner; primarily; above all; chiefly; mainly.

Principalness
(Prin"ci*pal*ness), n. The quality of being principal.

Principate
(Prin"ci*pate) n. [L. principatus: cf. F. principat.] Principality; supreme rule. [Obs.] Barrow.

Principia
(||Prin*cip"i*a) n. pl. [L. principium. See Principle.] First principles; fundamental beginnings; elements; as. Newton's Principia.

Principial
(Prin*cip"i*al) a. Elementary. [Obs.] Bacon.

Principiant
(Prin*cip"i*ant) a. [L. principians, p. pr. of principiare to begin, fr. principium. See Principle.] Relating to principles or beginnings. [R.] Jer. Taylor.

Principiate
(Prin*cip"i*ate) v. t. [See Principiant.] To begin; to initiate. [Obs.] Sir M. Hale.

Principiation
(Prin*cip`i*a"tion) n. Analysis into primary or elemental parts. [Archaic] Bacon.

Principle
(Prin"ci*ple) n. [F. principe, L. principium beginning, foundation, fr. princeps, - cipis. See Prince.]

1. Beginning; commencement. [Obs.]

Doubting sad end of principle unsound.
Spenser.

2. A source, or origin; that from which anything proceeds; fundamental substance or energy; primordial substance; ultimate element, or cause.

The soul of man is an active principle.
Tillotson.

3. An original faculty or endowment.

Nature in your principles hath set [benignity].
Chaucer.

Those active principles whose direct and ultimate object is the communication either of enjoyment or suffering.
Stewart.

4. A fundamental truth; a comprehensive law or doctrine, from which others are derived, or on which others are founded; a general truth; an elementary proposition; a maxim; an axiom; a postulate.

Therefore, leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection.
Heb. vi. 1.

A good principle, not rightly understood, may prove as hurtful as a bad.
Milton.

5. A settled rule of action; a governing law of conduct; an opinion or belief which exercises a directing influence on the life and behavior; a rule (usually, a right rule) of conduct consistently directing one's actions; as, a person of no principle.

All kinds of dishonesty destroy our pretenses to an honest principle of mind.
Law.

6. (Chem.) Any original inherent constituent which characterizes a substance, or gives it its essential properties, and which can usually be separated by analysis; — applied especially to drugs, plant extracts, etc.

Cathartine is the bitter, purgative principle of senna.
Gregory.

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