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Of or relating to the stage or a stageplayer; befitting a theatre; theatrical; -- sometimes in a bad sense. -- His`tri*on"ic*al*ly, adv. Tainted with false and histrionic feeling. De Quincey.

Having feelings befitting our common nature; congenial; sympathetic; as, a kind man; a kind heart. Yet was he kind, or if severe in aught, The love he bore to learning was his fault. Goldsmith.

Free by birth; hence, befitting a freeman or gentleman; refined; noble; independent; free; not servile or mean; as, a liberal ancestry; a liberal spirit; liberal arts or studies. " Liberal education." Macaulay. " A liberal tongue." Shak.

Befitting or like a lord; lordly.

Like, or befitting, a matron; grave; sedate.

Of or pertaining to a priest or the priesthood; sacerdotal; befitting or becoming a priest; as, the priestly office; a priestly farewell. Shak.

Befitting one's nature, qualities, etc.; suitable in all respect; appropriate; right; fit; decent; as, water is the proper element for fish; a proper dress. The proper study of mankind is man. Pope. In Athens all was pleasure, mirth, and play, All proper to the spring, and sprightly May. Dryden.

Of or pertaining to a secretary; befitting a secretary. [R.] Secretarial, diplomatic, or other official training. Carlyle.

Having a semblance, whether with or without reality; apparent; specious; befitting; as, seeming friendship; seeming truth. My lord, you have lost a friend indeed; And I dare swear you borrow not that face Of seeming sorrow, it is sure your own. Shak.

Of or pertaining to a servant or slave; befitting a servant or a slave; proceeding from dependence; hence, meanly submissive; slavish; mean; cringing; fawning; as, servile flattery; servile fear; servile obedience. She must bend the servile knee. Thomson. Fearing dying pays death servile breath. Shak.…

Arranged in a manner befitting a ship; hence, trim; tidy; orderly. Even then she expressed her scorn for the lubbery executioner's mode of tying a knot, and did it herself in a shipshape orthodox manner. De Quincey. Keep everything shipshape, for I must go Tennyson.

Of or pertaining to a snob; characteristic of, or befitting, a snob; vulgarly pretentious. -- Snob"bish*ly, adv.

Suitable; befitting; proper. [Obs.] con.

Of or pertaining to swine; befitting swine; like swine; hoggish; gross; beasty; as, a swinish drunkard or sot. "Swinish gluttony." Milton. -- Swin"ish*ly, adv. -- Swin"ish*ness, n.

Of or pertaining to tribunes; befitting a tribune; as, tribunitial power or authority. Dryden. A kind of tribunician veto, forbidding that which is recognized to be wrong. Hare.

Unbecoming; not befitting. -- Un`be*seem"ing*ly, adv. -- Un`be*seem"ing*ness, n.