- [uncountable] (formal)
behaviour or attitudes that show high moral standards 高尚的道德；正直的品性；德行 He led a life of virtue. 他过着高尚的生活。 She was certainly no paragon of virtue (= her moral standards were very far from perfect). 她绝不是道德高尚的典范！
Extra ExamplesTopics Personal qualitiesc1It would have taken a paragon of virtue not to feel jealous. 这样也不嫉妒，真是完人才做得到。 She was seen as a paragon of domestic virtue. 她被看成是家庭美德的完美典范。 She led a life of moral virtue. 她过着道德高尚的生活。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- cardinal
- great
- important
- …
- have
- possess
- embody
- …
- make a virtue of necessity
- a paragon of virtue
- [countable]
a particular good quality or habit 美德；优秀品质；良好习惯 Patience is not one of her virtues, I'm afraid. 恐怕她没有耐心。 As a politician, he always emphasized the virtues of compromise and conciliation. 作为一名政治家，他总是强调妥协与和解的优点。
Extra ExamplesHe taught his children to practise/practice the virtues of temperance and chastity. 他教育孩子们要兼修节制与贞洁之德。 He understands the traditional virtue of hard work. 他懂得勤劳这一传统美德。 Philippe embodies the French virtues of charm and grace. 菲利普身上表现出法国人的迷人和优雅品质。 He was convinced of the inherent virtue of hard work. 他深信努力工作本身就是美德。 She has just one, negative virtue—she never tells lies. 她只有一个缺点：从来不撒谎。 the theological virtues of faith, hope and charity 信仰、希望与慈善之圣德
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- cardinal
- great
- important
- …
- have
- possess
- embody
- …
- make a virtue of necessity
- a paragon of virtue
- [countable, uncountable]
an attractive or useful quality 优点；长处；用处 The plan has the virtue of simplicity. 这项计划的优点是简单。 He was extolling the virtues of the internet. 他赞扬了互联网的长处。 They could see no virtue in discussing it further. 他们看不到再讨论下去有什么用处。
Extra ExamplesThere is no inherent virtue in having read all the latest books. 把所有新出的书都读完并不一定有用。 The brochure makes a positive virtue of the island's isolated position. 资料册将这座小岛的偏远位置视为一个优点。 There is, of course, no inherent virtue in moderation. 当然，节制并不一定有用。 a story celebrating the virtues of democracy 颂扬民主种种好处的报道 He was going on about the virtues of the internet. 他一直在谈论互联网的优点。 Her book has the cardinal virtue of simplicity. 她这本书的主要优点是简单明了。
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadjective- cardinal
- great
- important
- …
- have
- possess
- embody
- …
- make a virtue of necessity
- a paragon of virtue
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French vertu, from Latin virtus ‘valour, merit, moral perfection’, from vir ‘man’.
Idioms
by/in virtue of something
make a virtue of something
to manage to present as a good quality something that other people might consider to be bad 不得已而力争有所得 There are artists who make a virtue of repetition. 有些艺术家以重复为美德。
make a virtue of necessity
to manage to gain an advantage from something that you have to do and cannot avoid 不得已而力争有所得 She decided to make a virtue of necessity and combined a business trip to Paris with a visit to her cousins there. 她决定利用生活的需要，把去巴黎出差和去看望那里的表兄妹结合起来。
of easy virtue
- (old-fashioned)
(of a woman 女人 willing to have sex with anyone 水性杨花；轻浮；放荡 a woman of easy virtue 水性杨花的女人。
virtue is its own reward
- (saying)
the reward for acting in a moral or correct way is the knowledge that you have done so, and you should not expect more than this, for example praise from other people or payment 施恩无他图，有德便是报；美德本身就是报偿