principle to him

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "principle to him" is not correct in standard written English.
It seems to be a misinterpretation or typo, as "principle" should likely be "principal" if referring to a person or "principle" in a different context. Example: "The principle to him was always about honesty and integrity in business."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The universities with least will suffer most, another sad example of the Matthew principle: "To him that hath shall be given".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Demonstrate biblical principles to him throughout his life.

WikiHow

The Rwandan military captured him in January, and Rwandan officials agreed in principle to extradite him.

The New York Times

Hatem Ben Arfa is set to depart Newcastle United after Nice announced a deal had been agreed in principle to bring him back to France.

The Guardian - Sport

The Mets took a significant step toward resolving a protracted contract standoff with Dickey on Sunday, agreeing in principle to trade him to the Toronto Blue Jays, according to a person with knowledge of the situation.

The New York Times - Sports

At a bar near the theatre, he hangs out with the actress (she speaks in low, throbbing tones) and the other members of her troupe, a snobby, gossipy lot who laugh in his face and refuse, as a matter of principle, to accept him.

The New Yorker

His support from Arab leaders tended to increase whenever he was pressured by Israel; for example, when Israel declared in 2003 it had made the decision, in principle, to remove him from the Israeli-controlled West Bank.

Wikipedia

"Yet when it came to the Weather Underground bag jobs, he seems not to have been aware that this same principle applied to him".

The New York Times

Following the principle taught to him by mentor Jack Lemmon, Spacey never misses a chance to "send the elevator back down", helping those who are still at the start of their career.

Huffington Post

Rees told jurors that Williams's alibi was in tatters and the evidence from his family was disappointing, because they had "decided to abandon their principles to support him in his lies to the court".

The Guardian

However, they do have an agreement in principle to sell the club to him, after long negotiations with Andrew Flowers, the owner of Enterprise Insurance, partnered with GFH's own David Haigh, collapsed – according to Haigh because the money they required was not there.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "principle to him" as it's not standard English. Instead, rephrase to clearly indicate that a principle is important to someone or guides their actions. For example, "The most important principle to him was honesty."

Common error

A common error is confusing "principle" (a fundamental truth or proposition) with "principal" (a chief or head). Ensure you are using the correct word based on the intended meaning. For example, say "The principle of honesty guided him", not "The principal of honesty guided him."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "principle to him" functions as a prepositional phrase, attempting to link a principle with a person. However, Ludwig AI indicates that this phrase is not standard English and suggests it may be a misinterpretation. A better structure indicates the importance of a principle for a person.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Wiki

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "principle to him" is grammatically incorrect and not commonly used in standard English. Ludwig AI identifies it as a possible misinterpretation or typo. More appropriate alternatives include phrases like "a matter of principle for him" or "the principle is important to him". When writing, avoid this phrase to ensure clarity and grammatical correctness. Instead, focus on phrasing that clearly indicates the importance of a principle to an individual or how a principle guides their actions. The analysis reveals that although the phrase appears in a few diverse contexts such as news and media, it is generally rare and should be avoided in formal writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a matter of principle for him

Focuses on the importance of the principle for the person; emphasizes the principle as a reason for action.

it is his principle

Directly states that something is the person's guiding principle.

principle is important to him

Highlights the importance of the principle to the individual.

he adheres to this principle

Emphasizes the person's active adherence to the principle.

he is guided by this principle

Focuses on the principle as a guiding force for the person.

this principle is fundamental to him

Highlights the foundational nature of the principle for the person.

this is one of his core principles

Presents the principle as a central and essential belief.

he stands by this principle

Emphasizes the person's unwavering support for the principle.

his guiding principle is...

Specifically states what the person's guiding principle is.

he prioritizes this principle

Indicates the principle is given high importance or precedence by the person.

FAQs

What is a more natural way to say something is a "principle to him"?

Instead of "principle to him", consider using phrases like "a matter of principle for him", "the principle is important to him", or "he adheres to this principle".

How can I emphasize that a specific principle is very important to someone?

To emphasize the importance of a principle, you could say "this principle is fundamental to him" or "this is one of his core principles".

What's the difference between saying a principle "guides him" versus is a "principle to him"?

Saying a principle "guides him" (or "he is guided by this principle") is a more natural and grammatically sound way to convey that the principle influences his actions or decisions. "Principle to him" is awkward and not idiomatic.

Is "principle to him" grammatically correct?

No, "principle to him" is not grammatically correct in standard English. It is better to rephrase the sentence to use a more common and understandable structure, such as "principle is important to him".