| 释义 |
unˈdecent, a. Obs. exc. dial.
Also 5 vndesent, 7, 9 dial., ondecent.
[un-1 7 and 5 b.]
1. Unfitting, unbecoming, improper; = indecent a. 1. Now arch.
1546Supplic. Poore Commons (1871) 72 That it were farre vndesent to musell the oxe that trauaylleth all the daye. 1576Fleming Panopl. Epist. 177, I thincke it undecent, that I writing of mine owne matters, should, in yours, shewe mee selfe negligent. 1608D. T[uvill] Ess. Pol. & Mor. 51 b, As beeing a thing altogether vndecent, that one of her composition should any way intermeddle with Armes. 1658T. Wall Charact. Enemies Ch. Ded. 1 To entitle a Book to the name of a Brother, is neither unusual or undecent. 1703R. Neve City & C. Purch. 86 It would be undecent to see a great Fabrick, consist of little Apartments. a1721Sheffield (Dk. Buckhm.) Wks. (1723) II. 208 'Tis surely not undecent to mention one's self when 'tis rather with censure than approbation. 1823Lamb To Southey Wks. 1908 I. 290, I have endeavoured there to rescue a voluntary duty..from the charge of an undecent formality.
b. Const. for (a person).
1559Morwyng Evonym. 196 All the use of Cosmetical..thinges oughte to be taken for unhonest and undecent for a man that is..godly minded. 1581G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. iii. (1586) 159 It is an undecent thinge for a woman to resemble a man. 1604T. Wright Passions iv. ii. §1. 127 Such passions are..vndecent for graue persons. 1660N. Ingelo Bentiv. & Ur. ii. (1682) 113 [No more] than it is undecent for a man to stand upon two Feet. 1685South Serm. (1727) V. i. 28 It is very undecent for a Master to jest or play with his Scholars.
†2. Uncomely, unhandsome, unbecomingly mean; = indecent a. 2. Obs.
1622Wither Philarete (1633) F 5 b, 'Twixt the Eyes, no hollow place, Wrinkle nor undecent space, Disproportions her in ought. 1637–8in Willis & Clark Cambridge (1886) I. 118 Fairer accesse to their Chappell, wch is now most undecent. 1670Dryden 2nd Pt. Conq. Granada i, Ozym. I cast it from me, like a Garment torn, Ragged, and too undecent to be worn.
3. Offensive to propriety or moral feeling; = indecent a. 3. Now dial.
1563Homilies ii. Excess of Apparel ⁋10 Thou..makest of thy vndecent apparell of thy body, the deuilles nette. 1573–80G. Harvey Letter-bk. Wks. (Grosart) I. 135 What Stoick or Eremite will bar them of any merriments and iestes that are not ether merely undecent or simple unhonest? 1654Gataker Disc. Apol. 77 Away with all undecent, unwashed and defiled langage. 1693Dryden's Juvenal xiv. (1697) 342 Much more is it their Duty to their Children, that nothing appear corrupt or undecent in their Family. 1711E. Ward Quix. 111 He spy'd her stretch'd out in an undecent Manner on the Ground. 1717Entertainer No. 8. 48 Shocking Sentences and Undecent Dialogues. 1810S. Green Reformist I. 86 Aren't you ashamed, you undecent fellow, to be appearing on the stair⁓case in that there manner? 1861J. Barr Poems 108 (E.D.D.), 'Twas a shamefu' undecent remark. |