Decorum

4 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Decorum \De*cor"um\, n. [L. dec[=o]rum, fr. dec[=o]rus. See
     {Decorous}.]
     Propriety of manner or conduct; grace arising 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.


     [1913 Webster]
  
           Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station.
                                                    --Hallam.
     [1913 Webster]
  
           If your master
           Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him,
           That majesty, to keep decorum, must
           No less beg than a kingdom.              --Shak.
  
     Syn: {Decorum}, {Dignity}.
  
     Usage: Decorum, in accordance with its etymology, is that
            which is becoming in outward act or appearance; as,
            the decorum of a public assembly. Dignity springs from
            an inward elevation of soul producing a corresponding
            effect on the manners; as, dignity of personal
            appearance.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  decorum
       n : propriety in manners and conduct [syn: {decorousness}] [ant:
            {indecorum}, {indecorum}]

From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:

  79 Moby Thesaurus words for "decorum":
     amenities, appropriateness, becomingness, bienseance,
     ceremoniousness, civilities, civility, comity, conformity,
     convenance, convention, conventional usage, conventionalism,
     conventionality, correctitude, correctness, courtliness, custom,
     decencies, decency, decorousness, delicacy, deportment, dignity,
     diplomatic code, elegance, elegancies, etiquette,
     exquisite manners, felicity, fitness, fittingness, form,
     formalities, formality, genteelness, gentility, good form,
     good manners, goodness, happiness, mannerliness, manners, meetness,
     modesty, mores, natural politeness, niceness, normality,
     normativeness, order, orderliness, point of etiquette, politeness,
     politesse, properness, proprieties, propriety, protocol, pudency,
     pudicity, punctilio, quiet good manners, respectability,
     righteousness, rightness, rules of conduct, seemliness, shame,
     social code, social conduct, social convention, social graces,
     social procedures, social usage, solemnity, suitability, urbanity,
     usage
  
  

From Bouvier's Law Dictionary, Revised 6th Ed (1856) [bouvier]:

  DECORUM. Proper behaviour; good order.
       2. Decorum is requisite in public places, in order to permit all 
  persons to enjoy their rights; for example, decorum is indispensable in 
  church, to enable those assembled, to worship. If, therefore, a person were 
  to disturb the congregation, it would be lawful to put him out. The same 
  might be done in case of a funeral. 1 Mod. 168; 1 Lev. 196 2 Kebl. 124. But 
  a request to desist should be first made, unless, indeed," when the 
  necessity of the case would render such precaution impossible. In using 
  force to restore order and decorum, care must be taken to use no more than 
  is necessary; for any excess will render the party using it guilty of an 
  assault and battery. Vide Battery.