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ideals

[ahy-dee-uhl, ahy-deel]

noun

a conception of something in its perfection.

a standard of perfection or excellence.

a person or thing conceived as embodying such a conception or conforming to such a standard, and taken as a model for imitation: Thomas Jefferson was his ideal.

an ultimate object or aim of endeavor, especially one of high or noble character: He refuses to compromise any of his ideals.

something that exists only in the imagination: To achieve the ideal is almost hopeless.

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Mathematics. a subring of a ring, any element of which when multiplied by any element of the ring results in an element of the subring.

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adjective

conceived as constituting a standard of perfection or excellence: ideal beauty.

regarded as perfect of its kind: an ideal spot for a home.

existing only in the imagination; not real or actual: Nature is real; beauty is ideal.

10.

advantageous; excellent; best: It would be ideal if she could accompany us as she knows the way.

11.

based upon an ideal or ideals: the ideal theory of numbers.

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12.

Philosophy.

pertaining to a possible state of affairs considered as highly desirable.

pertaining to or of the nature of idealism.

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Ideals is always a great word to know.

So is lollapalooza. Does it mean:

an extraordinary or unusual thing, person, or event; an exceptional example or instance.

a chattering or flighty, light-headed person.

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Origin:
1605–15; < Late Latin ideālis. See idea, -al¹

Related forms

i·de·al·ness, noun

qua·si-i·de·al, adjective

qua·si-i·de·al·ly, adverb

sub·i·de·al, adjective, noun

su·per·i·de·al, adjective, noun

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su·per·i·de·al·ly, adverb

un·i·de·al, adjective

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Synonyms
1, 2. epitome. Ideal, example, model refer to something considered as a standard to strive toward or something considered worthy of imitation. An ideal is a concept or standard of perfection, existing merely as an image in the mind, or based upon a person or upon conduct: We admire the high ideals of a religious person. Sir Philip Sidney was considered the ideal in gentlemanly conduct. An example is a person or the conduct or achievements of a person regarded as worthy of being followed or imitated in a general way; or sometimes, as properly to be avoided: an example of courage; a bad example to one's children. A model is primarily a physical shape to be closely copied, but is also a pattern for exact imitation in conduct or character: They took their leader as a model. 4. intention, objective. 7. perfect, consummate, complete. 9. illusory, imaginary, fanciful, fantastic.

Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2012.
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Link To ideals

Example Sentences

Like any place that wears its ideals on its sleeve, the co-op evokes rage, adoration and all the emotions in between.

How religious ideals shape student culture on one campus.

Many even within his own administration are unhappy with this apparent betrayal of his green ideals.

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Like any place that wears its ideals on its sleeve, the co-op evokes rage, adoration and all the emotions in between.

How religious ideals shape student culture on one campus.

Many even within his own administration are unhappy with this apparent betrayal of his green ideals.

But wedding traditions often conflict with green ideals.

We need to preserve biodiversity not out of any noble ideals but for our own preservation.

His ideals stem all the way to the current days as a man that saw the need for change.

Huxley was tired of seeing humans go to war over competing economic and social ideals.

We treat all these things as ideals in themselves, overvalue them ridiculously.

What it will not believe is that you are a swooning romantic, moved only by the high ideals of love.

They speak more loudly and more proudly of a country's special gifts, and of its ideals.

Using absolutes and ideals are as misleading as the misleading ideas alledgely used by the author of the initial article.

Thank you for all the years of great music, high ideals and something to aspire to.

Globalization has come to symbolize the ideals and the evils of modern progress.

The public looks to the nation's past to validate its core ideals and affirm a record of progress and accomplishment.

America's political ideals are inspiring, to be sure.

Parks nourish the human spirit, help sustain the planet, and reflect the ideals of the societies that protect them.

We'll even forgo our ideals and torture people to keep ourselves safe.

Well, for starters, atheism isn't a belief system or philosophy for life or any set of ideals.

Social justice, treating people the same, bringing out their best abilities are all worthy ideals.

Upright, industrious and unwavering in the pursuit of his ideals.

In fact, some charter schools are now based around the ideals of green living.

We don't get angry when people profess low ideals and behave better.

Each side ultimately will see its ideals incorporated into the network.

Ideals are abstract, but the world is concrete, and part of being an adult is facing that.

For example, code needs to be compatible with our ideals of privacy and free speech.

It's been my latest big push to change people's ideals and open up their minds to the possibilities.

But the popular online encyclopedia won't stray far from its open-source ideals.

We can hold ourselves to higher ideals than our enemies or sink to their level.

The idea of being forced to recycle and reuse, must seem somewhat anathema to these newfound ideals.

Argues that government should be allowed to use religious imagery to advance secular ideals.

Both ideals will continue in parallel, the tough and boring alongside the fun easy.

It is through your past influence and guidance that will allow me to grow your ideals into the future of the law firm.

Yet some query whether it always fulfils the high ideals of its humanitarian mandate.

Turn the ideals of today's food revolution into practical steps to a healthier diet.

To the contrary, my political ideals are so firmly and deeply held that there.

Thompson berated him as a traitor to the noble socialist ideals that he once espoused.

I, too, have not been ignorant to some of these secular developments and have often sought ideals in comparable eras of history.

To the contrary, my political ideals are so firmly and deeply held that there's no.

They were fashioning their own moral ideals to counter the ones bequeathed to them.

But many will have little contact with the ideas and ideals that characterize the historic core of higher learning.

Squatting vendors of tea and kebab jostle soapbox ranters hawking high ideals and dirty calumny.

There is no autonomy or ideals in these government induced thugs.

Lowdermilk was a scientist and at the same time a rugged pioneer with ideals to match his stamina.

Many of the songs glorified the life, loves and ideals of youths who were expected to build and defend their new homeland.

Little envisioned the inbred mouse as a link between laboratory science and the ideals of eugenics.

The failings are chronicled and the ideals championed with great energy.

They point out that the negative effects of promoting unrealistic ideals extend to health care as well as.

In one sort, scholars use wisdom, learning and high ideals to fortify the citadel of truth.

Gangs espouse no revolutionary ideals nor do they seek to benefit anyone but themselves.

In the real world, living up to ideals can be difficult.

The definition is an attempt to apply those ideals to a standard by which to evaluate licenses for hardware designs.

In his inaugural address he discussed ideals in secondary education.

Gillard has all but ruined her chances at reelection with her asylum ideals.

No software will instill the ideals and behavior you want your children to have on-line.

It has long embodied power, political expediency and ideals of progress.

But don't mistake that women get their ideals about their body only from these.

But he is a man of great dignity, superior talents and high ideals.

It seems fairly obvious to me that religion is nothing more than manâ¬"s ancient ideals that wonâ¬"t go away.

It's interesting, because you have to look at the ideals behind our government.

And betraying your own ideals won't win you the loyality of your people.

Let us live by example in a world devoid of ideals and beliefs which seems to recognise only the policy of naked power".

They want to know how ideals translate to the real world.

Bergsonian ideals have been in the boardroom for a long time, especially when it comes to the selling of consumer technology.

Perhaps their initial ideals are unrealistically and naively high.

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Etymonline

Word Origin & History

ideal

1410, from L.L. idealis "existing in idea," from L. idea in the Platonic sense (see idea). Sense of "perfect" first recorded 1613. The noun meaning "perfect person or thing" is first recorded 1796 in a translation of Kant. The abstract idealism, also from 1796, originally meant

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"belief that reality is made up only of ideas." Idealist "one who represents things in an ideal form" is from 1829, as is idealistic. Ideally "in the best conceivable situation" is from 1840. Idée fixe (1836) is from Fr., lit. "fixed idea."

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American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

ideal i·de·al (ī-dē'əl, ī-dēl')
n.

A conception of something in its absolute perfection.
One that is regarded as a standard or model of perfection or excellence.

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Matching Quote

"I am fairly tired—bored beyond endurance—by the world we live in, and its ideals, and am ready to say so, not violently, but kindly, as one rubs salt into the back of a flogged sailor as though one loved him."

-Henry Brooks Adams

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