vice
gb/vˈaɪs/ us/vˈaɪs/
B1
English
~ 2500
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
entity
1
Immoral or wicked habit
A bad habit or way of behaving that is wrong or not moral.
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s vice
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'vice' with 'device' because they sound similar; they are unrelated in meaning.
Synonyms
sin (Often used in a religious or moral context, whereas 'vice' can be secular.)
|
fault (A less formal and less morally loaded term than 'vice'.)
Antonyms
virtue (The direct moral opposite of vice, meaning good moral quality.)
Collocations
human vice
|personal vices
|gambling vice
|drug vice
|moral vice
Themes
ethics
|society
|behavior
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- Gambling became his most destructive vice.
- She considered lying to be a serious vice.
- The novel explores the vices of greed and envy.
- His only vice was an occasional cigar.
- Corruption is a vice that undermines trust in government.
Learner examples
- Smoking is a bad vice.
- Greed is a common vice.
- Lying is a moral vice.
- He has a vice for gambling.
- Her main vice is eating too much sugar.
Noun
technical
B1
entity
2
Tool for holding objects
A tool that holds something tightly so you can work on it.
Usage pattern:
a vice for [holding something]
Common mistake:
Some learners confuse this with the moral meaning of 'vice'; context usually makes it clear.
Synonyms
clamp (A more general term for devices that hold things together, not always fixed to a bench.)
Collocations
bench vice
|metalworking vice
|woodworking vice
Themes
tools
|construction
|work
|technology
Examples
- The carpenter secured the plank in a vice before sawing.
- He used a bench vice to hold the metal rod steady.
- Tighten the vice so the piece won’t move.
Learner examples
- He put the wood in a vice.
- The worker used a vice to hold the metal.
- The tool in the shop is a vice.
Noun
B2
entity
3
Deputy or substitute role
A person who is second in command and helps a leader, often in an official title.
Usage pattern:
vice [title]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes think 'vice' alone means 'leader', but it refers to the second-in-command role.
Synonyms
deputy ('Deputy' is more common outside of fixed titles, while 'vice' appears mainly in formal titles.)
Collocations
vice president
|vice chairman
|vice captain
Themes
leadership
|organization
|business
|work
Examples
- She was appointed vice president of marketing.
- The vice chairman will lead the meeting in the absence of the chairman.
- He served as vice captain during the tournament.
Learner examples
- He is the vice president of the company.
- The vice captain helped the team leader.
- She became the vice chairman last year.
Grammar
Dictionary form
vice
IPA
GB/vˈaɪs/
US/vˈaɪs/
Syllables & stress
vice (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (vice)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: vice
- Plural: vice, vices
Word family
Expressions
a necessary evil or a necessary vice
1/ə nˈɛsɪsˌɛɹi ˈivəl ˈɔɹ ə nˈɛsɪsˌɛɹi vˈaɪs/
fixed phrase
Something bad but needed
Something you do not like but must accept because it helps reach a goal.
Examples
- For many, commuting is a necessary evil.
- Some see advertising as a necessary evil of business.
vice versa
1/vˈaɪs vˈɚsə/
fixed phrase
With the order reversed
Used to say that the opposite of what you just said is also true.
Examples
- She doesn’t trust him, and vice versa.
- Dogs can be good for people, and vice versa.