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innocence - 5 dictionary results

in⋅no⋅cence

   [in-uh-suhns]
–noun
1. the quality or state of being innocent; freedom from sin or moral wrong.
2. freedom from legal or specific wrong; guiltlessness: The prisoner proved his innocence.
3. simplicity; absence of guile or cunning; naiveté.
4. lack of knowledge or understanding.
5. harmlessness; innocuousness.
6. chastity.
7. an innocent person or thing.
8. bluet (def. 1).
9. blue-eyed Mary.
Origin:
1300–50; ME < L innocentia. See innocent, -ence
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
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Language Translation for : innocence
Spanish: inocencia, German: die Unschuld, Japanese: 無罪
View 30 other languages »
blue-eyed Mary  
n.   An annual North American herb (Collinsia verna) having bicolored flowers with two lips. Also called innocence.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
in·no·cence     (ĭn'ə-səns)  Pronunciation Key 
n.  
  1. The state, quality, or virtue of being innocent, as:
    1. Freedom from sin, moral wrong, or guilt through lack of knowledge of evil.
    2. Guiltlessness of a specific legal crime or offense.
    3. Freedom from guile, cunning, or deceit; simplicity or artlessness.
    4. Lack of worldliness or sophistication; naiveté.
    5. Lack of knowledge or understanding; ignorance.
    6. Freedom from harmfulness; inoffensiveness.
  2. One that is innocent.
  3. Botany See blue-eyed Mary.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
innocence

noun
1. the quality of innocent naivete [syn: artlessness] 
2. the state of being unsullied by sin or moral wrong; lacking a knowledge of evil [syn: purity] 
3. a state or condition of being innocent of a specific crime or offense; "the trial established his innocence" [ant: guilt] 

WordNet® 3.0, © 2006 by Princeton University.
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Innocence

In"no*cence\, n. [F. innocence, L. innocentia. See Innocent.]

1. The state or quality of being innocent; freedom from that which is harmful or infurious; harmlessness.

2. The state or quality of being morally free from guilt or sin; purity of heart; blamelessness.

The silence often of pure innocence Persuades when speaking fails. --Shak.

Banished from man's life his happiest life, Simplicity and spotless innocence! --Milton.

3. The state or quality of being not chargeable for, or guilty of, a particular crime or offense; as, the innocence of the prisoner was clearly shown.

4. Simplicity or plainness, bordering on weakness or silliness; artlessness; ingenuousness. --Chaucer. Shak.

Syn: Harmlessness; innocuousness; blamelessness; purity; sinlessness; guiltlessness.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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