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An act or occasion of debauchery. Silenus, from his night's debauch, Fatigued and sick. Cowley.

Suitable to a character, or to the time, place, and occasion; marked with decorum; becoming; proper; seemly; befitting; as, a decorous speech; decorous behavior; a decorous dress for a judge. A decorous pretext the war. Motley. -- De*co"rous*ly, adv. -- De*co"rous*ness, n.

sing from suitableness of speech and behavior to one's own character, or to the place and occasion; decency of conduct; seemliness; that which is seemly or suitable. Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station. Hallam. If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decoru…

Lowness of spirits occasioned by grief or misfortune; mental depression; melancholy. What besides, Of sorrow, and dejection, and despair, Our frailty can sustain, thy tidings bring. Milton.

A poison which occasions a persistent delirium, or mental aberration (as belladonna).

A retiring of the sea, occasioning a change of high-water mark, whereby land is gained.

nimals and vegetables; often with of, by, with, from, and rarely for, before the cause or occasion of death; as, to die of disease or hardships; to die by fire or the sword; to die with horror at the thought. To die by the roadside of grief and hunger. Macaulay. She will die from want of care. Tennyson.…

Something difficult; a thing hard to do or to understand; that which occasions labor or perplexity, and requires skill perseverance to overcome, solve, or achieve; a hard enterprise; an obstacle; an impediment; as, the difficulties of a science; difficulties in theology. They lie under some difficulties by reason of th…

erly used for women's under-garments. It is of many patterns, both plain and twilled, and occasionally is printed in colors.

Causing discomfort; occasioning uneasiness; making sad. [Obs.] Sir P. Sidney.

to destroy confidence or trust in; to cause disbelief in the accuracy or authority of. An occasion might be given to the . . . papists of discrediting our common English Bible. Strype.

ization, that the owner can never lay his hands upon any one article at the moment he has occasion for it. Sir W. Scott.

The feeling of one who is displeased; irritation or uneasiness of the mind, occasioned 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 di…

Subject to disposal; free to be used or employed as occasion may require; not assigned to any service or use. The great of this kingdom . . . has easily afforded a disposable surplus. Burke.

That which occasions suffering; painful situation; misfortune; affliction; misery. Affliction's sons are brothers in distress. Burns.

Occasioning pain or grief; painful. Their dispatch is quick, and less dolorous than the paw of the bear or teeth of the lion. Dr. H. More. -- Dol"or*ous*ly, adv. -- Dol"or*ous*ness, n.

e of the ancient Greek musical modes or keys. Its character was adapted both to religions occasions and to war.

ly, as distinct from the frock coat, of which the skirts surround the body. It is worn on occasions of ceremony. The dress coat of officers of the United States army is a full-skirted frock coat.

ch suddenly drops upon the ground when it sights game, -- formerly a common, and still an occasional, habit of the setter.

Occasioning doubt; not clear, or obvious; equivocal; questionable; doubtful; as, a dubious answer. Wiping the dingy shirt with a still more dubious pocket handkerchief. Thackeray.