cardinal sin

:  a high ecclesiastical official of the Roman Catholic Church who ranks next below the pope and is appointed by him to assist him as a member of the college of cardinals (see college 4)

:  cardinal number

:  a crested finch (Cardinalis cardinalis of the family Cardinalidae) of the eastern U.S. and adjacent Canada, the southwestern U.S., and Mexico to Belize which has a black face and heavy red bill in both sexes and is nearly completely red in the male

:  of basic importance

:  very serious or grave

:  an offense against religious or moral law

:  an action that is or is felt to be highly reprehensible

:  an often serious shortcoming :  fault

:  to commit a sin

:  to commit an offense or fault

: sine