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ed by anything that counteracts desire or command, or which opposes justice or a sense of propriety; disapprobation; dislike; dissatisfaction; disfavor; indignation. O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure. Ps. vi. 1. Undoubtedly he will relent, and turn From his displeasure. Mil…

ed; liable to be called in question, controverted, or contested; or doubtful certainty or propriety; controvertible; as, disputable opinions, propositions, points, or questions. Actions, every one of which is very disputable. Jer. Taylor.

its action is affected by such a state of mind; as, we are doubtful of a fact, or of the propriety of a measure. Methinks I should know you, and know this man; Yet I am doubtful. Shak. With doubtful feet and wavering resolution. Milton.

Very choice, and hence, pleasing to good taste; characterized by grace, propriety, and refinement, and the absence of every thing offensive; exciting admiration and approbation by symmetry, completeness, freedom from blemish, and the like; graceful; tasteful and highly attractive; as, elegant manners; elegant style of…

Act by which one breaks loose from the rules of propriety or good sense; a freak; a prank. Carlyle.

e usual or due limit; hence, enormity; extravagance; gross deviation from rule, right, or propriety; as, the exorbitances of the tongue or of deportment; exorbitance of demands. "a curb to your exorbitancies." Dryden. The lamentable exorbitances of their superstitions. Bp. Hall.

e usual or due course; going beyond the appointed rules or established limits of right or propriety; excessive; extravagant; enormous; inordinate; as, exorbitant appetites and passions; exorbitant charges, demands, or claims. Foul exorbitant desires. Milton.

To reason earnestly with a person on some impropriety of his conduct, representing the wrong he has done or intends, and urging him to make redress or to desist; to remonstrate; -- followed by with. Men expostulate with erring friends; they bring accusations against enemies who have done them a wrong. Jowett (Thuc. ).…

The act of expostulating or reasoning with a person in opposition to some impropriety of conduct; remonstrance; earnest and kindly protest; dissuasion. We must use expostulation kindly. Shak.

The state of being extravagant, wild, or prodigal beyond bounds of propriety or duty; want of moderation; excess; especially, undue expenditure of money; vaid and superfluous expense; prodigality; as, extravagance of anger, love, expression, imagination, demands. Some verses of my own, Maximin and Almanzor, cry vengean…

other unceremoniously and without constraint; esp., in the pl., such actions and words as propriety and courtesy do not warrant; liberties.

A moral failing; a defect or dereliction from duty; a deviation from propriety; an offense less serious than a crime.

rom; to avoid; to abstain from; to give up; as, to forbear the use of a word of doubdtful propriety. But let me that plunder forbear. Shenstone. The King In open battle or the tilting field Forbore his own advantage. Tennyson.

ble in water; as, gum arabic; gum tragacanth; the gum of the cherry tree. Also, with less propriety, exudations that are not soluble in water; as, gum copal and gum sandarac, which are really resins.

Suitable or fit in action; marked with propriety and ease; graceful; becoming; appropriate; as, a handsome style, etc. Easiness and handsome address in writing. Felton.

Honor; honorableness; dignity; propriety; suitableness; decency. [Obs.] Chaucer. She derives her honesty and achieves her goodness. Shak.

e identify the words with the object -- though be courtesy of idiom rather than in strict propriety of language. Coleridge. Every good writer has much idiom. Landor. It is not by means of rules that such idioms as the following are made current: "I can make nothing of it." "He treats his subject home." Dryden. "It is t…

Not according with rule, fitness, or propriety; incorrect; rude; unpolished; inelegant. That 's an ill phrase. Shak. Ill at ease, uneasy; uncomfortable; anxious. "I am very ill at ease." Shak. -- Ill blood, enmity; resentment. -- Ill breeding, want of good breeding; rudeness. -- Ill fame, ill or bad repute; as, a ho…

Hence, to charge with impropriety; to dishonor; to bring discredit on; to call in question; as, to impeach one's motives or conduct. And doth impeach the freedom of the state. Shak.

Contrary to, or offending against, the rules of propriety or good breeding; guilty of, or prone to, rude, unbecoming, or uncivil words or actions; as, an impertient coxcomb; an impertient remark.