De"cent (dē"sent), a. [L. decens,
decentis, p. pr. of
decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr.
dokei^n to seem good, to
seem, think; cf. Skr. dāç to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. décent. Cf. Decorate,
Decorum, Deign.]
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.
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