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. dc to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. d'ecent. 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.

 

© Webster 1913.

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