All 9 Uses of

principle
in
Babbitt

Besides, Stan—Matter o' fact, Thompson and I are against bonuses, as a matter of principle.†
Chpt 6 *

principle = basic rule or belief

It was only when they attacked the sacred purse that he was frightened into fury, but then, being a man given to oratory and high principles, he enjoyed the sound of his own vocabulary and the warmth of his own virtue.†
Chpt 6

principles = basic rules or beliefs

By the secret principles of a Newly Discovered System of Music Teaching, any one—man, lady or child—can, without tiresome exercises, special training or long drawn out study, and without waste of time, money or energy, learn to play by note, piano, banjo, cornet, clarinet, saxophone, violin or drum, and learn sight-singing.†
Chpt 6

And maybe this new principle in education-at-home may be another—may be another factor.†
Chpt 6

principle = basic rule or belief

Course I believe in it on principle, but I don't propose to have anybody telling me what I got to think and do.†
Chpt 8

on principle = because of a basic rule or belief

When we've assimilated the foreigners we got here now and learned 'em the principles of Americanism and turned 'em into regular folks, why then maybe we'll let in a few more.†
Chpt 10

principles = basic rules or beliefs

"Ethics of the business-broker ought to strictly represent his principles and not get in on the buying," he said to Thompson.†
Chpt 19

I believe the highest type of Service, like the most progressive tenets of ethics, senses unceasingly and is motived by active adherence and loyalty to that which is the essential principle of Boosterism—Good Citizenship in all its factors and aspects.†
Chpt 21

principle = basic rule or belief

At the delicatessen he bought preposterous stores of food, chosen on the principle of expensiveness.†
Chpt 28

Definitions:

(1) (principle)
a basic rule or belief
The exact meaning of principle can depend upon its context. For example:
- "our guiding principles" -- basic moral beliefs that guide decisions and behavior
- "electromagnetic principles" -- rules describing how the world works
- "She lacks principles." -- lacks moral guidelines
- "We agree in principle." -- about important basic beliefs
(2) (meaning too rare to warrant focus)
meaning too rare to warrant focus:

See a comprehensive dictionary for more specialized senses including one in chemistry.