Part 83

Dec"o*rate (dk"*rt), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decorated (dk"*r`td); p. pr. & vb. n. Decorating (-r`tng).] [L. decoratus, p. p. of decorare, fr. decus ornament; akin to decere to be becoming. See Decent.] To deck with that which is becoming, ornamental, or honorary; to adorn; to beautify; to embellish; as, to decorate the person; to decorate an edifice; to decorate a lawn with flowers; to decorate the mind with moral beauties; to decorate a hero with honors.

Her fat neck was ornamented with jewels, rich bracelets decorated her arms.

Thackeray.

Syn. -- To adorn; embellish; ornament; beautify; grace. See Adorn.

Decorated style (Arch.), a name given by some writers to the perfected English Gothic architecture; it may be considered as having flourished from about a. d. 1300 to a. d. 1375.

Dec`o*ra"tion (dk`*r"shn), n. [LL. decoratio: cf. F. décoration.] 1. The act of adorning, embellishing, or honoring; ornamentation.

2. That which adorns, enriches, or beautifies; something added by way of embellishment; ornament.

The hall was celebrated for . . . the richness of its decoration.

Motley.

3. Specifically, any mark of honor to be worn upon the person, as a medal, cross, or ribbon of an order of knighthood, bestowed for services in war, great achievements in literature, art, etc.

Decoration Day, a day, May 30, appointed for decorating with flowers the graves of the Union soldiers and sailors, who fell in the Civil War in the United States; Memorial Day. [U.S.]

Dec"o*ra*tive (dk"*r*tv or -r*tv), a. [Cf. F. décoratif.] Suited to decorate or embellish; adorning. -- Dec"o*ra*tive*ness, n.

Decorative art, fine art which has for its end ornamentation, rather than the representation of objects or events.

Dec"o*ra`tor (-r"tr), n. [Cf. F. décorateur.] One who decorates, adorns, or embellishes; specifically, an artisan whose business is the decoration of houses, esp. their interior decoration.

De*core" (?), v. t. [Cf. F. décorer. See Decorate.] To decorate; to beautify. [Obs.]

To decore and beautify the house of God.

E. Hall.

De*core"ment (?), n. Ornament. [Obs.]

De*co"rous (?; 277), a. [L. decrus, fr. decor comeliness, beauty; akin to decere. See Decent, and cf. Decorum.] Suitable to a character, or to the time, place, and occasion; marked with decorum; becoming; proper; seemly; befitting; as, a decorous speech; decorous behavior; a decorous dress for a judge.

A decorous pretext the war.

Motley.

-- De*co"rous*ly, adv. -- De*co"rous*ness, n.

De*cor"ti*cate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decorticated; p. pr. & vb. n. Decorticating.] [L. decorticatus, p. p. of decorticare to bark; de- + cortex bark.] To divest of the bark, husk, or exterior coating; to husk; to peel; to hull. "Great barley dried and decorticated." Arbuthnot.

De*cor`ti*ca"tion (?), n. [L. decorticatio: cf. F. décortication.] The act of stripping off the bark, rind, hull, or outer coat.

De*cor"ti*ca`tor (?), n. A machine for decorticating wood, hulling grain, etc.; also, an instrument for removing surplus bark or moss from fruit trees.

De*cor"um (?), n. [L. decrum, fr. decrus. 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.

Negligent of the duties and decorums of his station.

Hallam.