Maxim
noun
A short statement that expresses a truth or a rule about how to behave.
The old maxim 'actions speak louder than words' is still true.
Often appears as...
- 'old maxim'
- 'moral maxim'
noun
A founding or guiding principle or rule that is used to set standards or make judgments.
The maxims of law are often used to guide court judgments.
Often appears as...
- 'maxims of law'
- 'maxims of philosophy'
Usage tips
Formal
Academic, Technical
noun
A short statement that expresses a truth or a rule about how to behave.
The old maxim 'actions speak louder than words' is still true.
Often appears as...
- 'old maxim'
- 'moral maxim'
noun
A founding or guiding principle or rule that is used to set standards or make judgments.
The maxims of law are often used to guide court judgments.
Often appears as...
- 'maxims of law'
- 'maxims of philosophy'
Usage tips
Formal
Academic, Technical
Definition 1 of 2
Pro Tip 1/3Behavioral Wisdom
Maxims often capture wise lessons about behavior in a memorable way.
The maxim 'Honesty is the best policy' is a valuable life lesson.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Values
Maxims can reflect values and beliefs of cultures and societies.
The maxim 'To have a friend, be a friend' highlights the value of reciprocity.
Pro Tip 3/3Advice in Disguise
Maxims may offer advice subtly, inspiring reflection and better choices.
The maxim 'Every cloud has a silver lining' encourages optimism.
Pro Tip 1/3Behavioral Wisdom
Maxims often capture wise lessons about behavior in a memorable way.
The maxim 'Honesty is the best policy' is a valuable life lesson.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Values
Maxims can reflect values and beliefs of cultures and societies.
The maxim 'To have a friend, be a friend' highlights the value of reciprocity.
Pro Tip 3/3Advice in Disguise
Maxims may offer advice subtly, inspiring reflection and better choices.
The maxim 'Every cloud has a silver lining' encourages optimism.
Pro Tip 1/3Behavioral Wisdom
Maxims often capture wise lessons about behavior in a memorable way.
The maxim 'Honesty is the best policy' is a valuable life lesson.
Pro Tip 2/3Cultural Values
Maxims can reflect values and beliefs of cultures and societies.
The maxim 'To have a friend, be a friend' highlights the value of reciprocity.
Pro Tip 3/3Advice in Disguise
Maxims may offer advice subtly, inspiring reflection and better choices.
The maxim 'Every cloud has a silver lining' encourages optimism.
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Video examples
Stuart Firestein: The...
We just jam a whole bunch of facts down their throats over here and then they puke it up on an exam over here and everybody goes home with no added intellectual heft whatsoever. This can't possibly continue to go on. So what do we do? Well the geneticists, I have to say, have an interesting maxim they live by.
Video examples
How Ethics Can Help You...
we have to design a rule or a maxim that we could will to be universal. Meaning, we have to imagine, what if everyone did what we're about to do, what would happen to the world? Would it be OK or would it get all screwed up? So the maxim I'm designing here is something like,
Video examples
The most groundbreaking...
to deepen our perspective. His finest accomplishment, though, may be his maxim, casting the search for truth beyond our senses and our current understanding as the pursuit of the beauty of the as yet unknown. Beautiful is what we see, more beautiful is what we know,
Video examples
Martin Rees: Can we...
shouldn't accept even a one in a billion risk that human extinction would foreclose this immense potential. Some scenarios that have been envisaged may indeed be science fiction, but others may be disquietingly real. It's an important maxim that the unfamiliar
Video examples
Talks Scott Kim takes...
and you can pick it up. I'll just go one step further. So, here is -- here is a couple pieces. Move them together, and now this is an active piece. You can really get inside somebody's perception and have them experience something. It's like the old maxim of
Video examples
Equipping change makers...
kidnapping in brazil he was consultant in innovation in criminality for the most important drug dealers gang in rail he was doing 14 years in the prison in the last region we met in the maxim secret vision and we decided to start a
Video examples
Flat Earth vs. Round...
so you have meaning in matter - we're not monkeys floating through space on the false maxim that testable it's not measurable it's not provable it's not real how old are you guys just out of curiosity do you think it's a growing
Video examples
Sleep is your superpower...
as a probable carcinogen, because of a disruption of your sleep-wake rhythms. So you may have heard of that old maxim that you can sleep when you're dead. Well, I'm being quite serious now -- it is mortally unwise advice.
Video examples
Winston Groom: The...
to come tactics and strategy in the Civil War had not kept up with advances in weaponry there's an old military maxim that says generals always fight
Video examples
Ariel Garten: Know...
The maxim, "Know thyself" has been around since the ancient Greeks. Some attribute this golden world knowledge to Plato, others to Pythagoras.
Video examples
Stuart Firestein: The...
We just jam a whole bunch of facts down their throats over here and then they puke it up on an exam over here and everybody goes home with no added intellectual heft whatsoever. This can't possibly continue to go on. So what do we do? Well the geneticists, I have to say, have an interesting maxim they live by.
Video examples
How Ethics Can Help You...
we have to design a rule or a maxim that we could will to be universal. Meaning, we have to imagine, what if everyone did what we're about to do, what would happen to the world? Would it be OK or would it get all screwed up? So the maxim I'm designing here is something like,
Video examples
The most groundbreaking...
to deepen our perspective. His finest accomplishment, though, may be his maxim, casting the search for truth beyond our senses and our current understanding as the pursuit of the beauty of the as yet unknown. Beautiful is what we see, more beautiful is what we know,
Video examples
Martin Rees: Can we...
shouldn't accept even a one in a billion risk that human extinction would foreclose this immense potential. Some scenarios that have been envisaged may indeed be science fiction, but others may be disquietingly real. It's an important maxim that the unfamiliar
Video examples
Talks Scott Kim takes...
and you can pick it up. I'll just go one step further. So, here is -- here is a couple pieces. Move them together, and now this is an active piece. You can really get inside somebody's perception and have them experience something. It's like the old maxim of
Video examples
Equipping change makers...
kidnapping in brazil he was consultant in innovation in criminality for the most important drug dealers gang in rail he was doing 14 years in the prison in the last region we met in the maxim secret vision and we decided to start a
Video examples
Flat Earth vs. Round...
so you have meaning in matter - we're not monkeys floating through space on the false maxim that testable it's not measurable it's not provable it's not real how old are you guys just out of curiosity do you think it's a growing
Video examples
Sleep is your superpower...
as a probable carcinogen, because of a disruption of your sleep-wake rhythms. So you may have heard of that old maxim that you can sleep when you're dead. Well, I'm being quite serious now -- it is mortally unwise advice.
Video examples
Winston Groom: The...
to come tactics and strategy in the Civil War had not kept up with advances in weaponry there's an old military maxim that says generals always fight
Video examples
Ariel Garten: Know...
The maxim, "Know thyself" has been around since the ancient Greeks. Some attribute this golden world knowledge to Plato, others to Pythagoras.
Example 1 of 10
Quote examples
John C. Calhoun
American Statesman
It is a universal and fundamental political principle that the power to protect can safely be confided only to those interested in protecting, or their responsible agents - a maxim not less true in private than in public affairs.
Quote examples
Alexander Hamilton
American Politician
The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.
Quote examples
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Roman Statesman
Precepts or maxims are of great weight; and a few useful ones on hand do more to produce a happy life than the volumes we can't find.
Quote examples
Henri Frederic Amiel
Swiss Philosopher
Let us be true: this is the highest maxim of art and of life, the secret of eloquence and of virtue, and of all moral authority.
Quote examples
Arthur Conan Doyle
British Writer
It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim 'never say never' is one of the most important in ethics.
Quote examples
Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish Writer
It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves.
Quote examples
Immanuel Kant
German Philosopher
May you live your life as if the maxim of your actions were to become universal law.
Quote examples
Wayne Dyer
American Psychologist
Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.
Quote examples
Luc de Clapiers
French Writer
The maxims of men reveal their characters.
Quote examples
John C. Calhoun
American Statesman
It is a universal and fundamental political principle that the power to protect can safely be confided only to those interested in protecting, or their responsible agents - a maxim not less true in private than in public affairs.
Quote examples
Alexander Hamilton
American Politician
The voice of the people has been said to be the voice of God; and, however generally this maxim has been quoted and believed, it is not true to fact. The people are turbulent and changing, they seldom judge or determine right.
Quote examples
Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Roman Statesman
Precepts or maxims are of great weight; and a few useful ones on hand do more to produce a happy life than the volumes we can't find.
Quote examples
Henri Frederic Amiel
Swiss Philosopher
Let us be true: this is the highest maxim of art and of life, the secret of eloquence and of virtue, and of all moral authority.
Quote examples
Arthur Conan Doyle
British Writer
It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.
Quote examples
Julian Baggini
British Author
It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim 'never say never' is one of the most important in ethics.
Quote examples
Robert Louis Stevenson
Scottish Writer
It is a golden maxim to cultivate the garden for the nose, and the eyes will take care of themselves.
Quote examples
Immanuel Kant
German Philosopher
May you live your life as if the maxim of your actions were to become universal law.
Quote examples
Wayne Dyer
American Psychologist
Maxim for life: You get treated in life the way you teach people to treat you.
Quote examples
Luc de Clapiers
French Writer
The maxims of men reveal their characters.
Example 1 of 10
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