different between decorous vs strict

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

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin strictus, past participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of strait and stretto. See stringent, strain.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /st??kt/
• Rhymes: -?kt

Adjective

strict (comparative stricter, superlative strictest)

1. Strained; drawn close; tight.

2. Tense; not relaxed.

3. Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously particular.

4. Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous.

5. Rigidly interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted.

6. (botany) Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
7. Severe in discipline.

   Antonyms: lenient, lax, permissive

8. (set theory, order theory) Irreflexive; if the described object is defined to be reflexive, that condition is overridden and replaced with irreflexive.

Usage notes

• Stricter and strictest are the grammatically correct forms for the comparative and superlative though outside UK more strict and most strict are more often used.

Derived terms

• stricten
• strictly
• strictness

Related terms

• stricture
• stringent
• strain

Translations

Further reading

• strict in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• strict in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

French

Etymology

Borrowed from Latin strictus, perfect participle of stringere (“to draw tight, bind, contract”). Doublet of étroit.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /st?ikt/

Adjective

strict (feminine singular stricte, masculine plural stricts, feminine plural strictes)

1. strict

Derived terms

• strictement

Further reading

• “strict” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

Romanian

Etymology

From French strict, from Latin strictus.

Adjective

strict m or n (feminine singular strict?, masculine plural stric?i, feminine and neuter plural stricte)

1. strict

Declension