pravity

Definitions

Perversion, depravity; wickedness.

archaic, countable, uncountable

Examples

“Doubt⟳ not but that sin Will reign among them, as of thee begot; And therefore was law given them, to evince Their natural pravity, by stirring up Sin against law to fight⟳[…].”

“[…] they alledged, That becauſe I had ſome Rudiments of Reaſon, added to the natural pravity of thoſe Animals, it was to be feared, I might be able to ſeduce them into the woody and mountainous parts of the Country, and bring⟳ them in Troops by night to deſtroy the Houyhnhnms Cattle, as being naturally of the ravenous kind, and averſe from Labour.”

“In some parishes the Lord's Prayer is suffered: in others it is still rejected as a form⟳; and he that should make⟳ it part of his supplication would be suspected of heretical pravity.”

“Still, it is possible, that a man's conscience may be so obdurate, as not to perceive the pravity of mendacity, when exercised for his supposed benefit, while he yet retains a regard for truth when engaged in relating his exploits to others.”

CEFR level