December 1482 decephalization 
the sun touches the tropic of Capricorn at the Venice Laws of the decemvirs. See Twelve Tables, II. ". 1. A decennial anniversary. 2. A 
winter solstice, being then at his greatest dis- under table. celebration of a decennial anniversary. 
tance south of the equator; the twelfth and decemviral (de-sem'vi-ral), a. [= F. decemvi- decenniert, . Same as deceniier. 
last month according to the modern mode of " = Sp. decenriral = Pg. decemvwal = It. de- decennium (df-sen'i-um), . [L., < decent, = E 
cemvirale, < L. decem riralis, < decemviri: see de- ten, + annns,'& year.] A period of ten years. 
cemvir.] Pertaining to the decemvirs. 
Before they went out of the cittie, the decemviraM 
lawes (which now are knowne by the name of the twelve 
Tables) they set up openly to be scene, engraven in brasse. 
Hiillaiul, tr. of Livy, p. 12"" 
according 
reckoning time, having thirty-one days. In the 
Roman calendar it was the tenth month, reckon- 
ing from March. Abbreviated Dec. 
Men are April when they woo, and December when they 
wed. Shale., As you Like it, iv. 1. 
ears 
208. 
Decemberly (de-sem'ber-li), o. 
+ -ly 1 .] Like December; wintry; cold. 
The many bleak and decemberly nights of a seven y< 
widowhood. Sterne,, Tristram Shandy, V. 
Decembrist (de-sem'brist), n. [= F. Decem- 
briste; < December + -ist. Cf. Dekabrist.] A 
participant in or supporter of an event happen- 
ing in the month of December ; specifically, in 
Russian liist,, a participant in the conspiracy 
and insurrection against the Emperor Nicholas decemviri^w. 
on his accession, December, 1825. Also called 
Dekabrist. 
These are the only monuments of early typography ac- 
knowledged to come within the present deeemmtm, 
lla.Ua.rn, Introd. to Lit. of Europe, I. iii. 25. 
27! decennoval (de-sen'o-val), a. [< LL. decenno- 
[< December decemvirate (de-sem'vi-rat), . [= F. decem- lis > of nineteen years, < L. decem, = E. ten, 
: cold. ..:..* o_ j ' .- j_ T- TA j ---*. + novem = h. mne.i PprtaiTiiTitr to trip nmn- 
rirat = Sp. deccnvirato = Pg. It. decemvirato, 
< L. dccemmratus, < decemviri: see decemviral.] 
1 . The office or term of office of a body of de- 
cemvirs. 2. A body of ten men in authority. 
If such a decemmrate should ever attempt to restore our 
constitutional liberty by constitutional means, I would 
exert in their cause such talents as I have. 
+ novem = E. nine.] Pertaining to the num- 
ber nineteen ; designating a period or cycle of 
nineteen years. See Aletonic cycle, under cycle. 
[Rare.] 
Meton, of old, in the time of the Peloponnesiau war, 
constituted a deeennuval circle, or of nineteen years : the 
same which we now call the golden number. Holder. 
Same as de- 
vir + -ship.] The office or dignity of decemvir. 
The decemvirship and the conditions of his colleagues 
together had so greatly changed. 
Holland, tr. of Livy, p. 115. 
& -at'ei a .'^c.osiaie e .i decencet (de'sens), n. [< OF. decence: see *- 
In bot., having ten ribs or elevated ridges, as cenct J^ Decen y- 
certain fruits, etc. Also written 10-costate. what wlth more deeem > were in silence kept. Dryden. 
decemdentate (de-sem-den'tat), a. [< L. de- decency (de'sen-si), n. ; pi. decencies (-siz). 
cem, = E. ten, + den(t-)s, = E. tooth, + -ate 1 = [Formerly also decence; < OF. decence, F. de- 
Sir W. Jones, To Lord Althorp. decennovary (de-sen'o-va-ri), a. 
Latin plural of decemvir. cennocal. Holder. 
de-sem'ver-ship), n. [< decem- decent (de'sent), a. [< F. decent = Sp. Per. It. 
1U _ J3C ~_ II *;j a J - .1 _ . j f -r " i ' 
Those of the Decembrists who were still alive were par- 
doned. D. M. Wallace, Russia, p. 450. 
decemcostate (de-sem-kos'tat), 
cem, = E. ten, + costa, rib, + 
detente, < L. decen(t-)s, comely, fitting, ppr. of 
decere, become, befit, akin to deem, honor, fame, 
whence ult. decorate, q. v.] 1. Becoming, fit, 
or suitable in words, behavior, dress, etc. ; 
proper; seemly; decorous. 
God teacheth what honor is decent for the king, and for 
all other men according unto their vocations. 
Latimer, 1st Sermon bet. Edw. VI., 1549. 
That which he doth well and commendably is eller de- 
cent, and the contrary vndecent. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 231. 
But since there must be ornaments both in painting and 
poetry, if they are not necessary, they must at least be de- 
cent : that is, in their due place, and but moderately used. 
Dryden, Parallel of Poetry and Painting, 
into ten segments or lobes. Also written 10-fid. ing ceremony; modesty; specifically, freedom A decent behaviour and appearance in church is what 
I Ai>AVn1sis1^1n / f\& _ onnn 1 f^\r- ' i~ 1 It ,. i r, F / T f POTTl *! V 1/1 W f\1* itTtajmii-i t ir 01131*1118 1116. 
-ed%.] Having ten points or teeth, 
decemfid (de-sem'fid), a. [< L. decem, = E. 
cence = Sp. Pg. decencia = It. decenza, < L. de- 
centia, comeliness, < decen(t-)s, comely ,-decent.] 
ten, + -fiduK, cleft, < findere (fid-), cleave, di- 1- The state or quality of being decent, fit, 
vide, = E. bite.] Divided into ten parts ; spe- suitable, or becoming; propriety of action, 
cifically, in bot., divided at least to the middle speech, dress, etc. ; proper formality; becom- 
decemlocular (de-sem-lok'u-lar), a. [<" L. 
decem, = E. ten, + loculus, dim. of locus, a 
place.] In bot., having ten cells: applied to 
ovaries, etc. 
decempedal (de-sem-ped'al), a. [< LL. de- 
cempedalis, haying ten feet (in length), < decem- 
pes (-ped-), being ten feet : see decempede.] 1. 
Having ten feet; decapod. 2f. Ten feet in 
length. Bailey. 
decempedet, [ME. decempede = F. decem- 
pede, a., < LL. decempes (-ped-), being ten feet 
(square), < L. decem, = E. ten, + pes (ped-) = E. 
foot.] A square of ten feet. 
This nomber what the liketh to pastyne 
Dissensseth alle deceinpedeg xviii. 
Renomber hem, but tyines twyos nyde (nype) 
Decempedes, thereof ther shall be seen 
CCC iiii & iii ami xviine (u. cccxxiit). 
Palladius, Husbondrie (E. E. T. S.), p. 48. 
Decempedes (de-sem'pe-dez), n. pi. [NL., 
pi. of decempes (see decempede), < L. decem (= 
from ribaldry or obscenity. 
The Greekes call this good grace of euery thing in his 
kinde, TO wpeiroi-, the Latines [decorum], we in our vulgar 
call it by a scholasticall terme [decencie}. 
Puttenham, Arte of Eng. Poesie, p. 219. 
Sentiments which raise Laughter can very seldom be 
admitted with any decency into an Heroic Poem. 
Addition, Spectator, No. 279. 
The consideration immediately subsequent to the being 
of a thing is what agrees or disagrees with that thing; 
what is suitable or unsuitable to it ; and from this springs 
the notion of decency or indecency, that which becomes 
or misbecomes. South. 
Immodest words admit of no defence, 
For want of decency is want of sense. 
Roticomwon, On Translated Verse, 1. 114. 
2. That which is decent or becoming. 
The external decencies of worship. lip. Atterbury. 
He became careless of the decencies which were expect- 
ed from a man so highly distinguished in the literary and 
political world. Macaiilay, Machiavelli. 
= Syn. 1. Decorum, suitableness, neatness, purity, deli- 
cacy. 
Sp. dvcenario = Pg. 
It. decennario, < L. decennis, adj., of ten years: 
erroneously, Decentfioda. 
DecempennataB(de'sem-pe-na'te), J *.j). [NL., Bee uecr BKH . J 
fern. pi. of decempennatus: see decempennate.] decennary 2 (de < 
^ra^ffi - "* ^^^arius^nna^us, <^ce- 
resented by the weavers (Ploceince), whydah- 
birds ( Viduinas), and hedge-sparrows (Accento- 
see decennial.] A period of ten years. 
i - 2 ''e-sen'a-ri), a. and n. [Prop. *de- 
Goldsmith, Vicar, x. 
Specifically 2. Proper with regard to mod- 
esty; free from indelicacy; conformable to some 
standard of modesty. 
The Eunomians seem to have been of opinion . . . that 
it was not decent for them to be stripped at the perform- 
ance of this religious rite. 
Jortin, Remarks on Eccles. Hist. 
3. Moderate ; respectable ; fair ; tolerable ; pass- 
able; good enough: as, a decent fortune; he 
made a very decent appearance. 
Even at this day, a decent prose style is the rarest of 
accomplishments in Germany. De (ftiincnj, Rhetoric. 
It was only as an inspired and irresponsible person that 
he [Milton] could live on decent terms with his own self- 
confident individuality. 
Lowell, Among my Books, 2d ser., p. 273. 
Salona the parent and Spalato the child are names which 
never can become meaningless to any one who has a de- 
cent knowledge of the history of the world. 
E. A. Freentan, Venice, p. 176. 
decently (de'sent-li), adv. 1. In a decent or 
becoming manner ; with propriety of behavior 
or speech ; with modesty. 
Past hope of safety, 'twas his latest care, 
Like falling Caesar, decently to die. Dryden. 
Pho! 'pho! do the thing decently, and like a Christian. 
Sheridan, The Rivals, iii. 4. 
2. Tolerably; passably; fairly. [Colloq.] 
resented by the weavers K^TydT ^4^^ jffSfSSSft 
birds ( Viduinw), and hedge-sparrows ( Accento- ten each bv tens < de^em ten ' SP fd^JZafl '" "" ""'' """"'"" "' llleu - rgn M 
rina,) as collectively distinguished from other Ta Cons^ting o'f w nvoMng C etch t decentness (de'sent-nes), n. Decency, 
frmgillme birds by the possession of ten instead i-^-- *- - ^^i^ Afmnt.raMva+.inn i'rlo-ct.r,'/ti_;_o'=v 
The greater part of the pieces it contains may be said 
to be very decentlii written. Kilinlniriili Jiev., I. 426. 
of only nine primaries. 
decempennate (de-sem-pen'at), a. [< NL. de- 
cempennatus, < L. decem, = E. ten, + peuna, 
wing: see pennate.] In ornith., having ten 
primaries or flight-feathers upon the pinion- 
bone or manus. 
decentralization (de-sen"tral-i-za'shon), H. 
[=F. decentralisation; as decentralize + -ation.] 
The act of decentralizing, or the state of being 
decentralized; specifically, in politics, the act 
II. . In old Eng. law, a tithing consisting'of . r P rin P le of removing 'local or special func- 
P- 1 U .~.lil--' * '! . tlOnS fit irnVPVIlTnpnf TvmYl tho iTy,li1,Qi-^ ill_ 
latiug to a tithing. 
To prevent idle persons wandering from place to place 
. . was one great point of the decennarii constitution. 
Fielding, Causes of the Increase of Robbers, 5. 
de- 
cemviri (-verz, -vi-ri). "[L. 'decemviri, pl.,"with 
later sing, decemvir, < decem, = E. ten, + vir 
= AS. wer, a man: see virile and wergild.] 
1 . One of the ten men, or decemviri, the title of 
four differently constituted bodies in ancient 
Eome. (<i) A body of magistrates elected in 451 B c for 
one year to prepare a system of written laws (decemviri 
legibus scribendie), with absolute powers of government 
and succeeded by another for a second year, who ruled 
tyrannically under their leader Appius Claudius and 
aimed to perpetuate their power, but were overthrown 
in 449. Hie decemvirs of the first year completed ten 
and those of the second year the remaining two of the 
celebrated twelve tables, forming both a political constitu- 
ten freeholders and their families. 
decennert, n. [Also decennicr, deciner; < OF. 
dizeuier, dixenier, < ML. "decenarius, decenna- 
rius: see decennary?.] One of the ten free- 
holders forming a decennary. 
Deciners, alias decenniers, alias Daiinert. Decennarii 
cometh of the French Diziene, i. e., Decas, Ten. It sig 
tions of government from the immediate di- 
rection or control of the central authority: 
opposed to centralization. 
In France, as the feudal life ran its course, everything 
gradually tended to unity, monarchy, centralization in 
Germany, the spirit of locality, separation, decentraliza- 
tion prevailed. stillf, Stud. Med. Hist., p. 160. 
ulfleth in the ancient monuments of 'our Law such as were decentralize (de-sen'tral-lz), v. t.; pret. and 
wont to have oversight and check of Ten 1'riburghs for PP- decentralized, ppr. decentralizing. [= F. 
maintenance of the King's Peace ; and the limits or decentraliser ; as de- priv. + centralize:] 
compass of their Jurisdiction 
To 
In case of the default of appearance in a decenner his TT. 1 s " uauo " r authority; disperse, as 
nine pledges had one and thirty days to bring the delin what has bee . n brought together, concentrat- 
quent forth to justice. 
Fielding, Causes of the Increase of Robbers, 5. 
ed, or centralized. 
Our population and wealth have increased and become 
wav. ufrjiuug DOLll a political constitu A 1 
tion and a legal code. (6) A court of juMce(decemviriliti- fl ecenmal (de-sen 1-al), a. and . [< L. as if n ' ore and more decentralized. Harpers May., LXXVI. 4.'i4. 
iii). of a n,tint,h,,t ..,., ,<= -*.,.v.-.. *decennialis, prop, decennalis (> F. deeennal = But in large societies that become predominantly in- 
op, decenal = Pg. decflinal = It decennale of dustrial, there is added a ebeentratistag remilating sys- 
ten years), < decem, = E. ten, + '*-, a year.] """ '"' "" i -'"" > '^ ~" 
r n i ^~i~^-j.: _ _. f '. . . J 
ciundi8,ordeceitici 
/- 
---, __ _, ..j.j.y.nted to apportion pi 
la- lands among citizens. 
2. By extension, one of any official bodv of 
men, ten in number, as the old Council of Ten in 
This shows an average decennial increase of 36 
ent, in population tlmm-h the Beventy vea,4 fro" our 
first to our last census yet taken. 
Lincnln. in Raymond, p. sat. 
e ^ a . dation f cephalic parts ; reduction of the 
head m OOn>Pl% r specialization of its parts; 
the process of decephalizing, or the state of be- 
ing decephalized: opposed to ci'phtili~atio>i. 
