vice

UK: /ˈvaɪs/ US: /vaɪs/ ,(n., v. vīs; prep. vī′sē, -sə, vīs)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

vice¹ /vaɪs/   n. 

1. an immoral or evil habit or practice:
   [countable] His vices include drinking, illicit sex, and gambling.
2. immoral conduct;
   evil practices;
   depraved behavior:
   [uncountable] a life of vice and crime.
3. [uncountable] sexual immorality, esp. prostitution.
4. a personal habit that is not especially harmful:
   [countable] Playing cards was his one vice.

vice² /vaɪs/   n., v., viced, vic•ing. 

1. vise.

vice-, prefix. 

1. vice- comes from Latin, where it has the meaning "in place of, instead of.'' It is attached to roots and sometimes words and means "deputy;
   '' it is used esp. in the titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official named by the base word:
   vice-chancellor; vice-chairman.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

vice¹ (vīs),  n. 

1. an immoral or evil habit or practice.
2. immoral conduct;
   depraved or degrading behavior:
   a life of vice.
3. sexual immorality, esp. prostitution.
4. a particular form of depravity.
5. a fault, defect, or shortcoming:
   a minor vice in his literary style.
6. a physical defect, flaw, or infirmity:
   a constitutional vice.
7. a bad habit, as in a horse.
8. Literature (cap.) a character in the English morality plays, a personification of general vice or of a particular vice, serving as the buffoon.

• Latin vitium a fault, defect, vice
• Anglo-French, Old French
• Middle English 1250–1300

Synonyms

• 1. See fault. 
• 2. depravity, sin, iniquity, wickedness, corruption.
• 5. blemish.

Antonyms

• 1, 2. virtue.

vice² (vīs), n., v.t., viced, vic•ing. 

1. vise.

vi•ce³  (vī′sē, -sə, vīs), prep. 

1. instead of;
   in the place of.

• Latin: instead of, ablative of vicis (genitive; not attested in nominative) interchange, alternation
• 1760–70

vice-, 

1. a combining form meaning "deputy,'' used in the formation of compound words, usually titles of officials who serve in the absence of the official denoted by the base word:
   viceroy; vice-chancellor.

• Middle English Latin vice vice³

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

vice / vaɪs/ noun

1. an immoral, wicked, or evil habit, action, or trait
2. habitual or frequent indulgence in pernicious, immoral, or degrading practices
3. a specific form of pernicious conduct, esp prostitution or sexual perversion
4. a failing or imperfection in character, conduct, etc: smoking is his only vice
5. a bad trick or disposition, as of horses, dogs, etc

Etymology: 13th Century: via Old French from Latin vitium a defect

vice, vise / vaɪs/ noun

1. an appliance for holding an object while work is done upon it, usually having a pair of jaws

verb

1. (transitive) to grip (something) with or as if with a vice

Etymology: 15th Century: from Old French vis a screw, from Latin vītis vine, plant with spiralling tendrils (hence the later meaning)

vice / vaɪs/ adjective

1. (prenominal) serving in the place of or as a deputy for
2. (in combination): viceroy

noun

1. a person who serves as a deputy to another

Etymology: 18th Century: from Latin vice, from vicis interchange

vice / ˈvaɪsɪ/ preposition

1. instead of; as a substitute for

Etymology: 16th Century: from Latin, ablative of vicis change

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

vise or vice /vaɪs/   n., v., vised, vis•ing. 
n. [countable]

1. Building a device usually having two jaws adjusted by means of a screw, lever, or the like, used to hold an object firmly while work is being done on it.

v. [~ + object]

2. Building to hold, press, or squeeze with or as if with a vise.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

vise  (vīs), n., v., vised, vis•ing. 
n. 

1. Building any of various devices, usually having two jaws that may be brought together or separated by means of a screw, lever, or the like, used to hold an object firmly while work is being done on it.

v.t. 

2. Building to hold, press, or squeeze with or as with a vise.

Also, vice. 

• Latin vītis vine (whose spiral form gave later sense)
• Old French: screw
• Middle English vis 1300–50

vise′like′, adj. 

vi•sé  (vē′zā, vē zā′), n., v.t., vi•séed, vi•sé•ing. 

1. Government, Law visa.

• French, past participle of viser to inspect, check; see visa