Hypertext Webster Gateway: "virtuous"

From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)

Virtuous \Vir"tu*ous\ (?; 135), a. [OE. vertuous, OF. vertuos,
vertuous, F. vertueux, fr. L. Virtuous. See {Virtue}, and cf.
{Virtuoso}.]
1. Possessing or exhibiting virtue. Specifically:
(a) Exhibiting manly courage and strength; valorous;
valiant; brave. [Obs.]

Old Priam's son, amongst them all, was chiefly
virtuous. --Chapman.
(b) Having power or efficacy; powerfully operative;
efficacious; potent. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Lifting up his virtuous staff on high, He smote
the sea, which calm['e]d was with speed.
--Spenser.

Every virtuous plant and healing herb. --Milton.
(c) Having moral excellence; characterized by morality;
upright; righteous; pure; as, a virtuous action.

The virtuous mind that ever walks attended By a
strong siding champion, conscience. --Milton.

2. Chaste; pure; -- applied especially to women.

Mistress Ford . . . the virtuous creature, that hath
the jealous fool to her husband. --Shak.
-- {Vir"tu*ous*ly}, adv. -- {Vir"tu*ous*ness}, n.

From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)

virtuous
adj 1: of moral excellence; "a genuinely good person"; "a just
cause"; "an upright and respectable man"; "the life of
the nation is secure only while the nation is honest,
truthful, and virtuous"- Frederick Douglass [syn: {good},
{just}, {upright}]
2: morally excellent [ant: {wicked}]
3: behaving according to standards of what is right or just;
"led a virtuous (or moral) life"
4: in a state of sexual virginity; "pure and vestal modesty";
"a spinster or virgin lady"; "men have decreed that their
women must be pure and virginal" [syn: {pure}, {vestal}, {virgin},
{virginal}]


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