principle / beginning; start; commencement / source; origin; cause

in principle, in theory, theoretically

out of principle, on principle, as a matter of principle / just in case

petitio principii, an instance of begging the question

(philosophy, rhetoric) principle of charity (principle according to which an argument should be evaluated in light of its best, strongest possible interpretation)

to work on the assumption that, to assume that

São Tomé and Príncipe

plural of principe