decent, a.
(ˈdiːsənt)
[a. F. décent (15th c. in Hatzf.), or ad. L. decēnt-em, pr. pple. of decēre to become, to be fitting. It is used etymologically by Wynkyn de Worde (perh. as French) in
1495 Trevisa's Barth. De P.R. v. xxix., The fyngres highte digiti..of this worde decent [Bodl. MS. decere], to saye in Englysshe semely, for they ben semely sette.]
1. a. Becoming, suitable, appropriate, or proper to the circumstances or special requirements of the case; seemly, fitting. Obs. or arch.
| 1539 [see b]. 1547 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 33 It was not decent that the kings horsses shuld be kept in them [abbeys]. 1589 Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xxiii. (Arb.) 279 Tell thine errand in such termes as are decent betwixt enemies. 1661 Evelyn Diary 20 Dec., The funeral of the Bishop of Hereford..was a decent solemnity. a 1677 Barrow Serm. Matt. i. 20 (Wks. 1716) II. 257 Decent it was that as man did approve so man also should condemn sin in the flesh. 1695 Dryden Parall. Poetry & Paint., Since there must be ornaments both in painting and poetry, if they are not necessary, they must at least be decent, that is in their due place, and but moderately used. 1710 Steele Tatler No. 231 ¶2 After a decent Time spent in the Father's House, the Bridegroom went to prepare his Seat for her Reception. 1749 Fielding Tom Jones v. iii, So total a change..that we think it decent to communicate it in a fresh chapter. 1827 Pollok Course T. iii. Showing, too, in plain and decent phrase. 1848 Macaulay Hist. Eng. I. 75 The founders of the Anglican Church had retained episcopacy as an ancient, a decent, and a convenient ecclesiastical polity, but had not declared that form of church government to be of divine institution. |
† b. Appropriate with regard to rank or dignity.
| 1539 Act 31 Hen. VIII, c. 5 A goodly..manour, decent and convenient for a king. 1547 Latimer 1st Serm. bef. Edw. VI (Arb.) 33 God teacheth what honoure is decente for the kynge. 1640 Yorke Union Hon. 77 The Tombe..is not so decent, nor convenient as his honour and acts deserved. 1657 J. Smith Myst. Rhet. 67 He useth a decent and due epithet, thus, Honourable Judge. 1716 Lady M. W. Montague Basset Table 77 When kings, queens, knaves are set in decent rank. a 1794 Gibbon Autobiog. 84 The court was regulated with decent and splendid economy. |
† 2. Of such appearance and proportions as suit the requirements of good taste; comely, handsome.
| 1600 J. Pory tr. Leo's Africa ii. 237 Most of their houses are but of one storie high, yet are they very decent, and have each one a garden. 1616 Bullokar, Decent, comely, handsome. 1625 Bacon Ess. Buildings (Arb.) 552 An Inward Court..Which is to be..Cloistered on all Sides, vpon Decent and Beautifull Arches, as High as the first Story. 1669 A. Browne Ars Pict. (1675) 4 It is impossible to make any decent or well proportioned thing, without this Symetrical measure of the parts orderly united. 1725 Pope Odyss. xiii. 273 Her decent hand a shining jav'lin bore. 1725 De Foe Voy. round World (1840) 268 He had five or six apartments in his house..two of them were very large and decent. |
3. a. In accordance with or satisfying the general standard of propriety or good taste, in conduct, speech, or action; esp. conformable to or satisfying the recognized standard of modesty or delicacy; free from obscenity.
| 1545 Joye Exp. Dan. vii. 124 A fayer decent semely shewe of vtwarde deuocion. 1613 Shakes. Hen VIII, iv. ii. 145 For vertue, and true beautie of the soule, For honestie, and decent carriage. 1625 Bacon Ess. Praise (Arb.) 357 To Praise a Mans selfe, cannot be Decent, except it be in rare Cases. 1712 Hearne Collect. 29 Oct., 'Twill not be decent for me to inquire into y{supt} Affair. 1732 Berkeley Alciphr. ii. §10 The regular decent life of a virtuous man. 1754 Chatham Lett. Nephew iv. 20 Be sure to associate..with men of decent and honourable lives. 1770 Gibbon On æneid vi. Misc. Wks. 1796 II. 507 The laws of honour are different in different ages; and a behaviour which in Augustus was decent, would have covered æneas with infamy. 1830–2 Carleton Traits Irish Peasant. (Tegg's ed.) 375 Are you ladin' a dacenter or more becominer life? 1855 Macaulay Hist. Eng. IV. 265 Much more than they had any decent pretence for asking. 1865 Mill in Morn. Star 6 July, Would it have been decent in me to have gone among you and said, ‘I am the fittest man?’ |
b. of persons. spec. in mod. colloq. use (see quot. 1949).
| 1731 Swift Poems, Strephon & Chloe, Women must be decent, And from the spouse each blemish hide. 1886 H. H. Johnston Kilimanjaro Exp. xix. 437 The Wa-Caga cannot be accused of indecency, for they make no effort to be decent, but walk about as Nature made them. 1949 R. Harvey Curtain Time 63 Sometimes, if she knew one of the actors or actresses, she would knock at a door and call ‘Are you decent?’ (That old theatrical phrase startled people who didn't belong to the theatre, but it simply meant ‘Are you dressed?’) |
4. a. Satisfying (in character, mode of living, behaviour, manners, etc.) the standard of one's position or circumstances; respectable.
| 1712 Steele Spect. No. 443 ¶7 Honestus..makes modest Profit by modest Means, to the decent Support of his Family. 1738 Pope Epil. Sat. ii. 71 Even in a bishop I can spy desert: Secker is decent. 1771 Mrs. Harris in Priv. Lett. Ld. Malmesbury I. 239 Lord Herbert is at Wilton with his tutor..a decent well-behaved man. 1807 Crabbe Par. Reg. i. 403 Next, with their boy, a decent couple came. 1831 T. L. Peacock Crotchet Castle iii, Captain F.—Many decent families are maintained on smaller means. Lady C.—Decent families: ay, decent is the distinction from respectable. Respectable means rich, and decent means poor. I should die if I heard my family called decent. 1879 Geo. Eliot Theo. Such ii. 27 Most of us who have had decent parents. 1882 W. Ballantine Exper. Barrister's Life I. xxiii. 290, I remember a pantaloon..He was a very sober decent fellow. |
b. of appearance, dress, etc.
| 1696 tr. Du Mont's Voy. Levant 45 Others go about in a pretty decent Garb. 1745 De Foe's Eng. Tradesman (1841) I. xxii. 210 A well-furnished shop with a decent outside. 1773 Johnson Let. Mrs. Thrale 6 Sept., In the afternoon tea was made by a very decent girl in a printed linen. 1843 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. I. 227, I am getting together one decent suit of clothes for her. 1884 F. M. Crawford Rom. Singer I. 5 We made him look very decent. |
5. a. Satisfying a fair standard; fair, tolerable, passable, ‘respectable’; good enough in its way.
Distinct examples of this sense are late; within brackets are given some earlier quots. which may belong to it.
| [c 1642 Twyne in Wood Life (Oxf. Hist. Soc.) I. 55 They were put into battell arraye, and skirmished together in a very decent manner. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. Ded. (1721) I. 180 If his Constitution be healthful, his Mind may still retain a decent Vigour.] |
| 1711 Addison Spect. No. 34 ¶10 At length, making a Sacrifice of all their Acquaintance and Relations, [they] furnished out a very decent Execution. 1773 J. Berridge Chr. World Unmasked (1812) 29 Some debts I shall pay myself, a decent part of the shot. 1826 Cobbett Rur. Rides (1885) II. 27 The locusts..appeared..to be doing pretty well, and had made decent shoots. 1863 F. A. Kemble Resid. in Georgia 132 There was not another decent kitchen, or flower garden in the State. 1880 M. E. Braddon Just as I am xi, She had just learnt enough English to write a decent letter. Mod. (Oxford Tutor) He ought to be able to write decent Latin prose. |
b. Of a person: kind, accommodating, pleasant. colloq.
| 1902 E. Nesbit Five Children & It iii. 101 ‘Well,’ said Cyril, ‘if you ask me I think it was rather decent of her’―‘Decent?’ said Anthea; ‘it was very nice indeed of her{ddd}’ 1909 Galsworthy Joy 111, Couldn't you just go up and give her a message..it would be most awfully decent of you. 1910 L. A. Harker Master & Maid xvii. 255 Fellows had told him how cut up old Nick was when that chap died in his house, and Bruiser was a jolly sight decenter than old Nick. Ibid. xx. 308 He was a very decent chap, quite a man of the world. 1928 W. Deeping Old Pybus ix. §3 The pater has been rather decent. 1932 ‘N. Shute’ Lonely Road vi. 125 That's really very decent of you. 1944 R. Lehmann Ballad & Source 36 This is a ripping place, and they're being jolly decent to us. |
6. quasi-adv. Decently.
| 1715–20 Pope Iliad vii. 513 Nor less the Greeks their pious sorrows shed, And decent on the pile dispose the dead. 1761 E. Bonhote Rambles of Frankly (1797) II. 176 The woman was dressed neat and decent. |
7. Comb., as decent-lived, decent-looking.
| 1800 E. Hervey Mourtray Fam. II. 152 A small but tolerably decent-looking house. 1892 Pall Mall G. 5 Apr. 6/1, I never stole any spoons, and am a decent-lived man as a whole. |