indecentadj.

1570 J. Foxe Actes & Monumentes (rev. ed.) II. 1653/2 It is not..indecent to thy iustice.

1589 G. Puttenham Arte Eng. Poesie iii. xxiv. 232 The Philosophers [action was], disproportionable both to his profession and calling and therefore indecent.

1704 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion III. x. 21 This so positive Declaration of the Prince..made all farther Arguments..not only useless but indecent.

1742 S. Johnson in J. Swan tr. T. Sydenham Entire Wks. p. xi He never betray'd any indecent impatience, or unmanly dejection.

1839 T. Keightley Hist. Eng. II. 82 With indecent haste she gave him her hand.

1879 J. A. Froude Cæsar xx. 345 It is indecent to owe money to a political antagonist.

1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. ix. sig. V3 Of all Gods workes..There is no one more faire and excellent, Then is mans body..Whiles it is kept in sober gouernment; But none then it more fowle and incedent [Faults Escaped: indecent], Distempred through misrule and passions bace.

1671 J. Blagrave Astrol. Pract. Physick 77 His thighs lean, his feet and knees indecent.

1705 J. Logan in Mem. Hist. Soc. Pennsylvania (1872) X. 57 To correct that much..would render it too indecent and ungrateful to the eye.

1743 tr. L. Heister Gen. Syst. Surg. I. i. 190 They usually occasion indecent Cicatrices.

1613 J. Chamberlain in R. F. Williams Birch's Court & Times James I (1848) (modernized text) I. 273 If you knew what indecent words have passed in the course of this suit, you would excuse me and think me modest.

1676 tr. G. Guillet de Saint-Georges Acct. Voy. Athens 267 Their Dances were lascivious, their Gestures indecent, and their Songs immodest.

1751 Earl of Orrery Remarks Swift (1752) 21 The many filthy ideas, and indecent expressions (I mean indecent in point of cleanliness and delicacy) that will be found throughout his works.

1768 L. Sterne Sentimental Journey II. 65 I have something within me which cannot bear the shock of the least indecent insinuation.

1883 C. J. Wills In Land of Lion & Sun 322 The costume of the women..is now, when carried to the extreme of the fashion, highly indecent.

1965 Times 17 Feb. 17/2 After verdict and before sentence, while the jury were still in court, they had come to the conclusion that neither the films nor the brochure were obscene, but had concluded that they were indecent.

1861 Act 24 & 25 Victoria c. 100 §52 Whosoever shall be convicted of any indecent Assault upon any Female..shall be liable..to be imprisoned for any Term not exceeding Two Years, with or without Hard Labour.

1861 Act 24 & 25 Victoria c. 100 §62 Whosoever..shall be guilty..of any indecent Assault upon any Male Person, shall be guilty of a Misdemeanor.

1938 ‘J. Curtis’ They drive by Night xvii. 190 You want to get pinched for indecent assault, do you?

1956 Act 4 & 5 Eliz. II c. 69 §14 It is an offence, subject to the exception mentioned in subsection (3) of this section, for a person to make an indecent assault on a woman.

1956 Act 4 & 5 Eliz. II c. 69 §15 It is an offence for a person to make an indecent assault on a man.

1969 C. Allen Textbk. Psychosexual Disorders (ed. 2) xxii. 458 The Act does not provide a definition of ‘indecent assault’... In the majority of cases a man..has, without invitation, put his hand up the clothing of an unsuspecting female.

1974 Guardian 24 Jan. 7/3 Mr Breredon, at present serving four years for two cases of indecent assault.