decent Hear it!

decent Definition

de·cent (dē′sənt)

adjective

  1. proper and fitting a decent burial
  2. not immodest; not obscene; chaste decent language
  3. conforming to approved social standards; respectable decent apparel
  4. reasonably good; adequate decent wages
  5. fair and kind decent treatment
  6. Informal adequately clothed for propriety

Etymology: MFr décent < L decens (gen decentis), prp. of decere, to befit < IE base *de-, to receive, greet, be suitable, teach > Sans dkšati, (he) is helpful, L docere, to teach, Gr dokein, to think, seem

decent Related Forms

de′·cently adverb

decent Synonyms

decent

modif.

  1. In accordance with common standards

    seemly, suitable, fitting; see conventional 2, fit 1.

  2. In accordance with the moral code

    nice, decorous, honorable, proper, seemly, chaste, modest, continent, pure, ethical, fair, generous, kind, obliging, accommodating, gracious, reserved, free from obscenity, spotless, respectable, prudent, comme il faut (French), mannerly, virtuous, delicate, stainless, clean, trustworthy, upright, worthy, untarnished, unblemished, straight; see also honest 1, moral 1.

  3. Moderately good

    satisfactory, adequate, average; see common 1, fair 2. See syn. study at chaste.

decent Usage Examples

Adjective complement with noun phrase

  • make: The average cost to make these homes decent is £ 16,000 each, or some £ 43 billion in total.
  • get: To get anything decent, we are going to edge or go into deco, that also means suitable redundancy.

Infinitive complement

live: I couldn't believe it when I got somewhere decent to live.

Modifies a noun

  • wage: You can visit the house where he lived in Doughty Street once he'd started to earn a decent wage.
  • bloke: I can see the Priory being very popular this coming season as the new landlord seems well organized and a decent bloke.
  • pension: The Lib Dems will carry on fighting for decent pensions for all.
  • living: Iraqis need to be able to earn a decent living, rather than depend on food handouts.
  • housing: Yes, we will fight for decent housing for our class, for a myriad of reforms under existing social conditions.
  • burial: We were not even allowed to give him a decent burial.

Modifying Another Word

  • minimally: In particular, how are we to understand the notion of a ' minimally decent life ' ?
  • pretty: There used to be a pretty decent arena in Guilford.
  • fairly: However there is a fairly decent selection of photos to be found at the official site at Horsea Dive Center.
  • thoroughly: At what cost -- because most of those 88 per cent are thoroughly decent and humane people -- in Iraqi lives?
  • perfectly: For once I`m a windows fan:- ) pocketpc is perfectly decent.
  • somewhere: I couldn't believe it when I got somewhere decent to live.

Used with adjective complement

  • seem: Normally I would be the first to do that, but from what I saw he seemed pretty decent to me.
  • look: For starters, the graphics engine has been given a sizeable overhaul even at maximum zoom, things look pretty decent.
  • sound: The key to making these beats sound decent is pitching them down several semitones - this gives them a trashy feel.
  • find: I was struggling to find anywhere decent to bird from near the car and so returned for another brief spell at south Van marshes.
  • get: I couldn't believe it when I got somewhere decent to live.