De"cent (?), a. [L. decens, decentis, p. pr. of decere to be fitting or becoming; akin to decus glory, honor, ornament, Gr. to seem good, to seem, think; cf. Skr. dc to grant, to give; and perh. akin to E. attire, tire: cf. F. d'ecent. Cf. Decorate, Decorum, Deig.]
1. Suitable in words, behavior, dress, or ceremony; becoming; fit; decorous; proper; seemly; as, decent conduct; decent language.
Shak.
Before his decent steps.
Milton.
2. Free from immodesty or obscenity; modest.
3. Comely; shapely; well-formed. [Archaic]
A sable stole of cyprus lawn
Over thy decent shoulders drawn.
Milton.
By foreign hands thy decent limbs composed.
Pope.
4. Moderate, but competent; sufficient; hence, respectable; fairly good; reasonably comfortable or satisfying; as, a decent fortune; a decent person.
A decent retreat in the mutability of human affairs.
Burke.
-- De"cent*ly, adv. -- De"cent*ness, n.
© Webster 1913. | 
