different between decorous vs prim

English

Etymology

From Latin dec?rus (“seemly, becoming”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?d?k???s/

Adjective

decorous (comparative more decorous, superlative most decorous)

1. Marked by proper behavior.
   • 1792, Mary Wollstonecraft, chapter V, A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, 3rd edition, London: J. Jonson, published 1796, section III, pages 219–220:

     The narrow path of truth and virtue inclines neither to the right nor left—it is a ?traightforward bu?ine?s, and they who are earne?tly pur?uing their road, may bound over many decorous prejudices, without leaving mode?ty behind.

   • 1848, William Makepeace Thackeray, Vanity Fair, Chapter 61,^[1]

     There came a day when the round of decorous pleasures and solemn gaieties in which Mr. Jos Sedley’s family indulged was interrupted by an event which happens in most houses.

   • 1919, W. Somerset Maugham, The Moon and Sixpence, chapter 43

     But who can fathom the subtleties of the human heart? Certainly not those who expect from it only decorous sentiments and normal emotions.

   • 1936, Margaret Mitchell, Gone with the Wind, Part One, Chapter 1^[2]

     The green eyes in the carefully sweet face were turbulent, willful, lusty with life, distinctly at variance with her decorous demeanor.

Antonyms

• indecorous

Related terms

Translations

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p??m/, [p?????m]
• Rhymes: -?m

Etymology 1

Old French prim, prin, from Latin primus (“first”).

Adjective

prim (comparative primmer, superlative primmest)

1. prudish, straight-laced
2. formal; precise; affectedly neat or nice

   • Philemon was in great surprise,?
     And hardly could believe his eyes,
     Amaz'd to see her look so prim;
     And she admir'd as much at him.

Usage notes

Often used in the collocation “prim and proper”.

Derived terms

• prim and proper
• prissy

Translations

Verb

prim (third-person singular simple present prims, present participle primming, simple past and past participle primmed)

1. (dated) To make affectedly precise or proper.
2. (dated) To dress or act smartly.

Etymology 2

See privet.

Noun

prim

1. (plants) privet

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin pr?mus, from earlier pr?smos from *pr?semos from Proto-Italic *priisemos.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central, Valencian) IPA^(key): /?p?im/
• Rhymes: -im

Adjective

prim (feminine prima, masculine plural prims, feminine plural primes)

1. thin, skinny

Derived terms

• aprimar
• primesa
• primor

Related terms

• primer

Further reading

• “prim” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.
• “prim” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “prim” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

References

Ladin

Alternative forms

• prum

Etymology

From Latin pr?mus.

Adjective

prim m (feminine singular prima, masculine plural primi, feminine plural primes)

1. first

Old English

Etymology

From Latin pr?ma (“first; first hour”)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /pri?m/

Noun

pr?m ?

1. (historical) Prime, the first hour or tide (3-hour period) after dawn
2. (Christianity) Prime, the divine office appointed for the hour in the liturgy

Synonyms

• (hour; tide): ?nt?d
• (service): pr?msang

Derived terms

• pr?msang

References

• Joseph Bosworth and T. Northcote Toller (1898) , “pr?m”, in An Anglo-Saxon Dictionary, 2nd edition, Oxford: Oxford University Press.

Romanian

Etymology

From Latin pr?mus, from earlier pr?smos < *pr?semos < Proto-Italic *priisemos.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /prim/

Adjective

prim m or n (feminine singular prim?, masculine plural primi, feminine and neuter plural prime)

1. prime, first

Declension

Synonyms

• întâi

Antonyms

• ultim

Related terms

• primar
• prim?var?
• împrim?

Volapük

Noun

prim (nominative plural prims)

1. beginning

Declension