half-decentadj.

1741 tr. J. J. Rutledge Mem. Julia de M— II. i. 8 My dexterity has rid you of your tiresome Baron, and will place you in a very different situation to that half-decent, half-serious one, in which he has hitherto kept you.

1848 A. Wislizenus Mem. Tour N. Mexico 54 in U.S. Congress. Serial Set (30th Congr., 1st Sess.; Senate Misc. Doc. 26) I There was not one among them in complete uniform..: each one had consulted either his own fancy or necessity, in arranging the remnants of former comfort, to produce a half decent appearance.

1897 T. O. Russell Beauties & Antiq. Ireland 41 Laoghaire, the chief king who was cotemporary with St Patrick, but of whom the Saint never succeeded in making even a half decent Christian.

1922 E. Tobenkin Road x. 122 What a difference that half hour would have made. One could do up one's hair properly and eat a half decent breakfast.

1995 Times 9 June 25/6 Any half-decent employer knows that fair wages are essential to a healthy business.

2014 Smith Jrnl. 11 85/1 He's in the second bedroom of his house; a home office with a couple of monitors and the half-decent microphone he uses to record.