act more effectively etc, that can be learnt from a story or event: The moral of this story is that crime doesn't pay. → see also MORALS
morale /məˈrɑːlliməˈræl/ n [U] the condition of courage, determination, and pride in the mind(s) of a person, team, army etc; level of confidence: The soldiers' morale was high/low. | The trapped men kept up their morale by singing together. | Simply telling him how valuable his work was boosted his morale a lot.
mor·al·ist /'mɒrəlʒst/ mɔː-/ n 1 a teacher of moral principles 2 usually derog a person who tries to control other people's morals
mor·al·ist·ic /,mɔrəˈlɪstɪk/ ↓,mɔː-/ adj derog having very firm unchanging narrow ideas about right and wrong behaviour ︷ally /kli/ adv
mo·ral·i·ty /məˈræləti/ n [U] rightness or honesty of behaviour, of an action etc: One sometimes wonders if there's any morality in politics. 1 to question the morality of someone's actions → opposite IMMORALITY
mo'rality play n a theatrical play, often performed in the years 1400–1600, in which good and bad human qualities were represented as people → compare MIRACLE PLAY
mor·al·ize also -ise BrE /'mörəlaɪzɪl'mɔː-/ v [|(about, on)] usually derog to express one's thoughts on the rightness or, more usually, the wrongness of behaviour —izer n
mor·al·ly /'mɒrəli/'mɔː-/ adv 1 with regard to right behaviour: What you did wasn't actually illegal, but it was morally wrong. 2 apprec in a MORAL way → opposite IMMORALLY 3 fml most probably: It's morally certain that she'll be the next Minister of Education.
, Moral Majority, the 1 trademark a US Christian organization started in 1979 by the Rev. Jerry Falwell. The group's aim is to help politicians who support its RIGHT-WING ideas on subjects such as ABORTION and the rights of HOMOSEXUALS, and to actively oppose politicians who disagree with these ideas. 2 a general name, especially in the US, for Christians who have strongly traditional ideas about sexual behaviour, the family etc, and who also tend to have right-wing political ideas
,Moral Re'armament, abbrev. MRA an international movement started in 1938 by the US EVANGELIST Frank Buchman (1878–1961), who wanted to make people behave in a more moral and SPIRITUAL way, especially in international relations
mor·als /'mɒrəlz/ mɔː-/ n [P] standards of behaviour, especially in matters of sex: How can you cheat your own family like that? Haven't you got any morals at all? | a woman of loose morals (=of bad sexual behaviour)
mo·rass /məˈræs/ n 1 [C] especially lit a dangerous area of soft wet ground; MARSH 2 [S(of)] a position from which it is almost impossible to free oneself: They seemed to be bogged down in a morass of detail.
mor·a·to·ri·um /,mora'tɔːriəm|l,mɔː-/ n pl. -ria /riə/ [(on)] an official period of delay: The council has declared a moratorium on the building of new houses. (=it will not build any more for a particular time) | a moratorium on arms sales → compare EMBARGO¹
mor·bid /'mɔːbɪd/ adj 1 derog unhealthily interested in unpleasant subjects, especially those concerning death: a morbid fascination with the details of the murder 2 med connected with or caused by disease of body or mind —ly adv —ity /mɔː'bɪdʒti/ mɔːr- / n [U]
mor·dant /'mɔːdənt/ adj (especially of the way of expressing thoughts) cruel and cutting: His political opponents feared his mordant wit. —ly adv
Mor·dred /'mɔːdredl'mɔːr-/ an evil KNIGHT who is either the son or the NEPHEW of King Arthur in old stories. He tries to take Arthur's land from him, but is killed by Arthur during a battle. → see also ARTHURIAN LEGEND
more¹ /mɔːr/ adv [(than)] 1 (used for forming the COMPARATIVE of most adjectives and adverbs with more than two SYLLA-BLEs and of many that have only two): The first question is more difficult than the second. | His illness was (much) more serious than we had thought. | Could you explain the problem (a bit) more simply? | We'd like to go there more often. → opposite LESS 2 to a greater degree: He'll never play well if he doesn't practise more. | She seems to care (far/much) more for her dogs than for her children. | Businesses use computers a lot more than they used to. | It's her voice I dislike, more than what she says. | I couldn't agree more. (=I completely agree.) → opposite LESS 3 again (in the phrases any more, once more, no more): They used to be good friends, but they don't like each other any more. (=any longer) | I'll repeat the question once more. | (lit) The ship sank below the waves, and was seen no more. (=never again) 4 and what is more also, and more importantly: She admitted she'd spoken to them, and what's more had told them about our secret discussions. 5 more often than not infml at most times; usually: I like cooking, but more often than not I just open a tin of something when I get home. 6 more than a little pomp very: I was more than a little angry when I saw how they'd ruined it. 7 more than pleased/sorry/etc fml extremely pleased/sorry/etc: If you are not satisfied with your purchase, we will be more than happy to refund your money. | He was more than willing to help. 8 more ... than ... it is more true to say ... than ...: She's more thoughtless than stupid. 9 no more often pomp neither: She can't afford a car, and no more can I. 10 no more ... than in no greater degree ... than: He's no more fit to be a priest than I am! (=is completely unfit)
more² determiner, pron (comparative of many, much) [(of, than)] 1 a larger number or amount: There are more cars on the roads in summer than in winter. | As he grows weaker, he spends more of his time in bed. | No more than five people applied for the job. (=only five people, which was surprising) | There were not more than (=probably fewer than) a hundred people at the rally. | It's no/not more than a mile to the sea. | More than one school has closed. | Wine costs more than beer. → opposite LESS or FEWER (see USAGE) 2 an additional number or amount: Have some more tea! | I have to write two more letters this morning. (=besides those already written) | There's no more milk left - I'd better go and buy some more. | A lot of houses are being built, but many more are needed. | If you stay at that hotel, you'll have to pay a little more. | I'd like to know more about the job. | She's got a good job and plenty of money - what more does she want? (=surely she has everything she wants) | Tell me more! (=I'm interested in what you say.) → opposite LESS or FEWER (see USAGE) 3 more and more increasingly; (an amount) that continues to become larger: The questions get more and more difficult. | I seem to spend more and more on food every week! → opposite LESS AND LESS 4 more or less a) almost; nearly: The job's more or less finished. b) about; not exactly: The repairs will cost £50, more or less. 5 BrE (the) more the greater: 'I'm slimming, so I haven't eaten for three days.' ('The) more fool you!' (=you are very foolish) 6 the more ... , the more/less etc (used to show that two things change together): The more I see of him, the less I like him. | The more he eats, the fatter he gets. | 'Can I bring some friends to your party?' 'Of course - the more, the merrier!' (=the more people there are, the better the party will be) → see also more ... than you've had hot dinners (DINNER), more's the pity (PITY¹)
More is the opposite of both less (for amounts) and fewer (for numbers). Compare a few/three/many/a great many more (opposite fewer) friends and a bit/a little/much/a great deal more (opposite less) money. With both amounts and numbers you can use far, some, any, no, rather and lots/a lot (infml): far more eggs/butter.
More, Sir Thomas (1478–1535) an English politician and writer. His most famous work is Utopia, which describes his idea of a perfect society. He was a powerful adviser to King HENRY VIII, but he opposed the king's DIVORCE (=the official ending of a marriage) and refused to accept him as the head of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND. For this the king put him in prison and ordered his head to be cut off. The Roman Catholic Church later made him a SAINT.
More·cambe and Wise /,mɔ:kəm ənd 'waizl,mɔ:r-/ two British COMEDIANS, Eric Morecambe (1926–84) and Ernie Wise (1925–99), who appeared on an extremely popular television programme called The Morecambe and Wise Show in the 1960s and 1970s. Many famous people appeared as guests on the show and had to do things that made them look slightly silly. The shows are often repeated, especially at Christmas.