Part 84

If your master Would have a queen his beggar, you must tell him, That majesty, to keep decorum, must No less beg than a kingdom.

Shak.

Syn. -- Decorum, Dignity. Decorum, in accordance with its etymology, is that which is becoming in outward act or appearance; as, the decorum of a public assembly. Dignity springs from an inward elevation of soul producing a corresponding effect on the manners; as, dignity of personal appearance.

De*coy" (d*koi"), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Decoyed (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Decoying.] [Pref. de- + coy; orig., to quiet, soothe, caress, entice. See Coy.] To lead into danger by artifice; to lure into a net or snare; to entrap; to insnare; to allure; to entice; as, to decoy troops into an ambush; to decoy ducks into a net.

Did to a lonely cot his steps decoy.

Thomson.

E'en while fashion's brightest arts decoy, The heart, distrusting, asks if this be joy.

Goldsmith.

Syn. -- To entice; tempt; allure; lure. See Allure.

De*coy", n. 1. Anything intended to lead into a snare; a lure that deceives and misleads into danger, or into the power of an enemy; a bait.

2. A fowl, or the likeness of one, used by sportsmen to entice other fowl into a net or within shot.

3. A place into which wild fowl, esp. ducks, are enticed in order to take or shoot them.

4. A person employed by officers of justice, or parties exposed to injury, to induce a suspected person to commit an offense under circumstances that will lead to his detection.

De*coy"-duck` (?), n. A duck used to lure wild ducks into a decoy; hence, a person employed to lure others into danger. Beau. & Fl.

De*coy"er (?), n. One who decoys another.

De*coy"-man` (?), n.; pl. Decoy-men (&?;). A man employed in decoying wild fowl.

De*crease" (?), v. i. [imp. & p. p. Decreased (?); p. pr. & vb. n. Decreasing.] [OE. decrecen, fr. OF. decreistre, F. décroître, or from the OF. noun (see Decrease, n.), fr. L. decrescere to grow less; de + crescere to grow. See Crescent, and cf. Increase.] To grow less, -- opposed to increase; to be diminished gradually, in size, degree, number, duration, etc., or in strength, quality, or excellence; as, they days decrease in length from June to December.

He must increase, but I must decrease.

John iii. 30.

Syn. -- To Decrease, Diminish. Things usually decrease or fall off by degrees, and from within, or through some cause which is imperceptible; as, the flood decreases; the cold decreases; their affection has decreased. Things commonly diminish by an influence from without, or one which is apparent; as, the army was diminished by disease; his property is diminishing through extravagance; their affection has diminished since their separation their separation. The turn of thought, however, is often such that these words may be interchanged.

The olive leaf, which certainly them told The flood decreased.

Drayton.

Crete's ample fields diminish to our eye; Before the Boreal blasts the vessels fly.

Pope.

De*crease", v. t. To cause to grow less; to diminish gradually; as, extravagance decreases one's means.

That might decrease their present store.

Prior.

De*crease", n. [OE. decrees, OF. decreis, fr. decreistre. See Decrease, v.] 1. A becoming less; gradual diminution; decay; as, a decrease of revenue or of strength.