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The state of having become degenerate; decline in good qualities; deterioration; meanness. Degeneracy of spirit in a state of slavery. Addison. To recover mankind out of their universal corruption and degeneracy. S. Clarke.

worse than one's kind, or than one was originally; hence, to be inferior; to grow poorer, meaner, or more vicious; to decline in good qualities; to deteriorate. When wit transgresseth decency, it degenerates into insolence and impiety. Tillotson.

The process of giving a dull or ground surface to glass by acid or by mechanical means. Knight.

urious, or effeminate person. All the vessels, then, which our delicates have, -- those I mean that would seem to be more fine in their houses than their neighbors, -- are only of the Corinth metal. Holland.

n offense or transgression against law; (Scots Law) an offense of a lesser degree; a misdemeanor. Every regulation of the civil code necessarily implies a delict in the event of its violation. Jeffrey.

line; as, the delineation of a scene or face; in drawing and engraving, representation by means of lines, as distinguished from representation by means of tints shades; accurate and minute representation, as distinguished from art that is careless of details, or subordinates them excessively.

Failure or omission of duty; a fault; a misdeed; an offense; a misdemeanor; a crime. The delinquencies of the little commonwealth would be represented in the most glaring colors. Motley.

ent of any two others are called "proofs;" and where agreement or disagreement is by this means plainly and clearly perceived, it is called demonstration. Locke.

To be the sign of; to betoken; to signify; to mean. A general expression to denote wickedness of every sort. Gilpin.

Having a passive form with an active meaning, as certain latin and Greek verbs.

To carry or demean; to conduct; to behave; -- followed by the reflexive pronoun. Let an ambassador deport himself in the most graceful manner befor a prince. Pope.

Manner of deporting or demeaning one's self; manner of acting; conduct; carrige; especially, manner of acting with respect to the courtesies and duties of life; behavior; demeanor; bearing. The gravity of his deportment carried him safe through many difficulties. Swift.

The act of receiving anything from a source; the act of procuring an effect from a cause, means, or condition, as profits from capital, conclusions or opinions from evidence. As touching traditional communication, . . . I do not doubt but many of those truths have had the help of that derivation. Sir M. Hale.…

them and another description of public creditors. A. Hamilton. The plates were all of the meanest description. Macaulay.

geometry. which treats of the graphic solution of problems involving three dimensions, by means of projections upon auxiliary planes. Davies & Peck (Math. Dict. ) -- De*scrip"tive*ly, adv. -- De*scrip"tive*ness, n.

Specifically, intention or purpose as revealed or inferred from the adaptation of means to an end; as, the argument from design.

Delineation; sketch; design; ideal; invention. [Obs.] For though that some mean artist's skill were shown In mingling colors, or in placing light, Yet still the fair designment was his own. Dryden.

Fit or deserving to be despised; contemptible; mean; vile; worthless; as, a despicable man; despicable company; a despicable gift.

The quality of being despicable; meanness; vileness; worthlessness.

In a despicable or mean manner; contemptibly; as, despicably stingy.