Adjacent Words

Decentness definitions

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Webster's 1828 Dictionary

DE'CENTNESS, n. Decency.

Webster's 1913 Dictionary

Decent De"cent, a. [L. decens, decentis, p. pr. of decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr. ? to seem good, to seem, think; cf. Skr. d?c to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. d['e]cent. Cf. Decorate, Decorum, Deig?.] 1. Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language. --Shak. Before his decent steps. --Milton. 2. Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest. 3. Comely; shapely; well-formed. [Archaic] A sable stole of cyprus lawn Over thy decent shoulders drawn. --Milton. By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed. --Pope. 4. Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person. A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs. --Burke. -- De"cent*ly, adv. -- De"cent*ness, n.