immorality

immorality
    n 1: the quality of not being in accord with standards of right
         or good conduct; "the immorality of basing the defense of
         the West on the threat of mutual assured destruction" [ant:
         {morality}]
    2: morally objectionable behavior [syn: {evil}, {immorality},
       {wickedness}, {iniquity}]
    

Immorality \Im`mo*ral"i*ty\, n.; pl. {Immoralities}. [Cf. F.
   immoralit['e].]
   1. The state or quality of being immoral; vice.
      [1913 Webster]

            The root of all immorality.           --Sir W.
                                                  Temple.
      [1913 Webster]

   2. An immoral act or practice.
      [1913 Webster]

            Luxury and sloth and then a great drove of heresies
            and immoralities broke loose among them. --Milton.
      [1913 Webster]
    

IMMORALITY. that which is contra bonos mores. In England, it is not 
punishable in some cases, at the common law, on, account of the 
ecclesiastical jurisdictions: e. g. adultery. But except in cases belonging 
to the ecclesiastical courts, the court of king's bench is the custom morum, 
and may punish delicto contra bonos mores. 3 Burr. Rep. 1438; 1 Bl. Rep. 94; 
2 Strange, 788. In Pennsylvania, and most, if not all the United States, all 
such cases come under one and the same jurisdiction. 
     2. Immoral contracts are generally void; an agreement in consideration 
of future illicit cohabitation between the parties; 3 Burr. 1568; S. C. 1 
Bl. Rep. 517; 1 Esp. R. 13; 1 B. & P. 340, 341; an agreement for the value 
of libelous and immoral pictures, 4 Esp. R. 97; or for printing a libel, 2 
Stark. R. 107; or for an immoral wager, Chit. Contr. 156, cannot, therefore, 
be enforced. For whatever arises from an immoral or illegal consideration, 
is void: quid turpi ex causa promissum est non valet. Inst. 3, 20, 24. 
     3. It is a general rule, that whenever an agreement appears to be 
illegal, immoral, or against public policy, a court of justice leaves the 
parties where it finds them; when the agreement has been executed, the court 
will not rescind it; when executory, the count will not help the execution. 
4 Ohio R. 419; 4 John. R. 419; 11 John. R. 388; 12 John. R. 306; 19 John. R. 
341; 3 Cowen's R. 213; 2 Wils. R. 341. 
    

29 Moby Thesaurus words for "immorality":
      amorality, backsliding, carnality, corruption, criminality,
      delinquency, depravity, evil, evil nature, impurity,
      moral delinquency, peccability, prodigality, recidivism,
      unangelicalness, unchastity, uncleanness, ungodliness, ungoodness,
      unmorality, unrighteousness, unsaintliness, unvirtuousness, vice,
      viciousness, wantonness, waywardness, wickedness, wrongdoing