In a word, the Epiſodes ofHomer are complete Epiſodes; they are proper to the ſubject, because they are drawn from the ground of the fable; they are ſo joined to theprincipal action, that one is the neceſſary conſequence of the other, either truly or probably: and laſtly, they are imperfect members which do not make a complete and finiſhed body; for an Epiſode that makes a complete action, cannot be part of aprincipal action; as is eſſential to all Epiſodes.
1956 April, H. A. Vallance, “To Oslo via Stavanger”, inRailway Magazine, page213:
For many years, Oslo had no railway communication with Bergen and Stavanger, theprincipal seaports on the south-west coast.
Theprincipal treasure of ths department, however, is the Stele of Hammurabi (1792—1750 B.C.), king of the first Babylonian kingdom, a basalt cylinder 2.25m/7ft 5in. inscribed with Hammurabi's laws written in Akkadian in cuneiform script.
2005, Ruth N. Collins, “Application of Phylogenetic Algorithms to Assess Rab Functional Relationships”, in Sidney P. Colowick, Alan Hall, editors,Methods in Enzymology, volume403,page22:
In theory, there are the same number ofprincipal components as there are variables, but in practice, usually only a few of theprincipal components need to be identified to account for most of the data variance.
I understand that feeling. Through 20 years in the industry, I've stayed on the staff engineer's path, and I'm now a seniorprincipal engineer, parallel to a senior director on my company's career ladder.
Principal should not be confused withprinciple.Principle is always a noun, which is sometimes erroneously used with the meaning of the adjectiveprincipal.
Incorrect: He is theprinciple musician in the band
Correct: He is theprincipal musician in the band
Similarlyprincipal (orprincipally) may sometimes erroneously get used as an adjective form ofprinciple. Possible alternatives for an adjective with a meaning closer to the nounprinciple arefundamental andethical.
Incorrect: I haveprincipal objections.
Correct: I haveethical objections.
This can vary in other languages, for example in Dutch where the nounprincipedoes have an adjective form inprincipieel. This can be a source of confusion if a Dutch speaker assumes an adjective form ofprinciple would also exist in English which may lead them to erroneously use the similar-sounding adjectiveprincipal in an English text for this purpose.Principal is generally not used in thecomparative or superlative in formal writing, as the meaning is alreadysuperlative. However, likeunique, it is sometimes used in this way.
(finance,uncountable) The money originally invested or loaned, on which basis interest and returns are calculated.
A portion of your mortgage payment goes to reduce theprincipal, and the rest covers interest.
1902, William Pember Reeves,State Experiments in Australia and New Zealand, volume 1, Cambridge University Press, published2011,page342:
In March 1902, I find in the statement of liabilities and assets £711 put down as arrears of interest, but there is no entry of arrears ofprincipal.
2012, Denis Clifford,Plan Your Estate, 11th Edition, NOLO, US,page 298,
For instance, in some states, dividends that have automatically been reinvested will be treated asprincipal.
2012, Fred Steingold,Legal Forms for Starting & Running a Small Business,page88:
If you know theprincipal amount, the interest rate, and the number of years the payments will be made, you can consult an amortization calculator or schedule to arrive at the monthly payment.
1971, Louis Kaplan,Education and Mental Health,page413:
The important administrative figure to the teacher is the schoolprincipal.
2008, Brian Dive,The Accountable Leader: Developing Effective Leadership Through Managerial Accountability,page212:
The problem was neatly summed up by oneprincipal in Australia who said recently: ‘There is no incentive for me to develop my best teachers to become my successor.[…]’
2009, Colin J. Marsh,Key Concepts for Understanding Curriculum,page132:
Now renamed Teaching Australia, its officers are undertaking exploratory steps in developing professional standards for school leaders. A National Standards Drafting Group of volunteerprincipals is currently draftingprincipal standards (Teaching Australia, 2007).
2011, U.S. Department of Labor,Occupational Outlook Handbook 2011-2012,page 45,
Principals are now being held more accountable for the performance of students and teachers, while at the same time they are required to adhere to a growing number of government regulations.
1967, University of Edinburgh Graduates′ Association,University of Edinburgh Journal, Volumes 23-24,page 314,
Unlike the students,Principal Robertson, who now resided almost alone in the College, continued to use the accustomed route on his visits to the Old Town; and it “became the joke of the day that from being the principal gate it had become only a gate for thePrincipal.”5
When an attorney represents a client, the client is theprincipal who permits the attorney, the client′s agent, to act on the client′s behalf.
Myprincipal sells metal shims.
1958, American Law Institute.,Restatement of the Law, Second: Agency 2d, volume 7,page533:
The firm admitted the amount owed, but averred as an affirmative defense that it had hired the expert as an agent of a disclosedprincipal, the client.
1966, Pan American Union,The Marketing Structure for Selected Processed Food Products: In Sweden, Denmark, Norway, The Federal Republic of Germany, Canada and the United Kingdom,page34:
A food broker has been defined as an independent sales agent who performs the services of negotiating the sale of food and/or grocery products for and on account of the seller asprincipal.
2009, California Continuing Education of the Bar,California Probate Code,page 375,
An attorney-in-fact has a duty to act solely in yhe interest of theprincipal and to avoid conflicts of interest.
1868, Andrew Steinmetz,The Romance of Duelling in All Times and Countries, volume I, London: Chapman and Hall,page107:
The old man raised his arm as though it had been palsied, and fired, of course without effect. The otherprincipal immediatelydeloped, much to the satisfaction of my friend and all present.
1847, Great Britain. Committee on Education,Minutes of the Committee of Council on Education, page446:
Set two classes of monitors to question each other; so that one may try to outquestion the other. Explain to them theprincipal of every subject they have to teach.
Adancer at the highestrank within a professional dancecompany, particularly aballet company.
1973 August 4, J. Ralf Green, “The Hossenpfepper Column”, inGay Community News, page 3:
Silverberg also gives the reader reader some excellent character insight; deep probes into the minds of all theprincipals bring the reader closer to the persons involved than might be thought possible with the plot so far removed from the realm of normality.
German:Haupttäter(de)m or simplyTäter(de)m (which is according to the Criminal Code’s wording, where the hypernym to accomplices, abettors and principals isBeteiligter)
1 When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite, the corresponding "indefinite" form is used. 2 The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.
This is one of the French adjectives that can occur either before or after the noun. When located before the noun, the adjective is more strongly emphasized.
1995, Ariovaldo Franco,De Caçador a Gourmet, Thesaurus Editora,→ISBN,page113:
Sake, vinho de arroz, é aprincipal bebida alcoólica do país. A palavras[sic]sake é abreviação desakae, ou seja, prosperidade. Na verdadesake se assemelha mais à cerveja sem gás do que ao vinho.
