Part 2872

<hw>De*gar"nish</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. t.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Degarnished</er> <tt>(?)</tt>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Degarnishing</er>.]</wordforms> <ety>[F. <ets>d\'82garnir</ets>; pref. <ets>d\'82-</ets>, <ets>des-</ets> (L. <ets>dis-</ets>) + <ets>garnir</ets> to furnish. See <er>Garnish</er>, and cf. <er>Disgarnish</er>.]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To strip or deprive of entirely, as of furniture, ornaments, etc.; to disgarnish; <as>as, to <ex>degarnish</ex> a house, etc.</as></def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>To deprive of a garrison, or of troops necessary for defense; <as>as, to <ex>degarnish</ex> a city or fort</as>.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<i>Washington.</i>

<h1>Degarnishment</h1> <Xpage=383>

<hw>De*gar"nish*ment</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <def>The act of depriving, as of furniture, apparatus, or a garrison.</def> <mark>[R.]</mark>

<h1>Degender, Degener</h1> <Xpage=383>

<hw><hw>De*gen"der</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <hw>De*gen"er</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>,<hw> <tt>v. i.</tt> <ety>[See <er>Degenerate</er>.]</ety> <def>To degenerate.</def> <mark>[Obs.]</mark> "<i>Degendering</i> to hate."

<i>Spenser.</i>

<blockquote>He <b>degenereth</b> into beastliness. <i>Joye.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Degeneracy</h1> <Xpage=383>

<hw>De*gen"er*a*cy</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>n.</tt> <ety>[From <er>Degenerate</er>, <tt>a.</tt>]</ety>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>The act of becoming degenerate; a growing worse.</def>

<blockquote>Willful <b>degeneracy</b> from goodness. <i>Tillotson.</i></blockquote>

<p><b>2.</b> <def>The state of having become degenerate; decline in good qualities; deterioration; meanness.</def>

<blockquote><b>Degeneracy</b> of spirit in a state of slavery. <i>Addison.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>To recover mankind out of their universal corruption and <b>degeneracy</b>. <i>S. Clarke.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Degenerate</h1> <Xpage=383>

<hw>De*gen"er*ate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>a.</tt> <ety>[L. <ets>degeneratus</ets>, p. p. of <ets>degenerare</ets> to degenerate, cause to degenerate, fr. <ets>degener</ets> base, degenerate, that departs from its race or kind; <ets>de-</ets> + <ets>genus</ets> race, kind. See <er>Kin</er> relationship.]</ety> <def>Having become worse than one's kind, or one's former state; having declined in worth; having lost in goodness; deteriorated; degraded; unworthy; base; low.</def>

<blockquote>Faint-hearted and <b>degenerate</b> king. <i>Shak.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>A <b>degenerate</b> and degraded state. <i>Milton.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote><b>Degenerate</b> from their ancient blood. <i>Swift.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>These <b>degenerate</b> days. <i>Pope.</i></blockquote>

<blockquote>I had planted thee a noble vine . . . : how then art thou turned into the <b>degenerate</b> plant of a strange vine unto me? <i>Jer. ii. 21.</i></blockquote>

<h1>Degenerate</h1> <Xpage=383>

<hw>De*gen"er*ate</hw> <tt>(?)</tt>, <tt>v. i.</tt> <wordforms>[<tt>imp. & p. p.</tt> <er>Degenerated</er>; <tt>p. pr. & vb. n.</tt> <er>Degenerating</er>.]</wordforms>

<p><b>1.</b> <def>To be or grow worse than one's kind, or than one was originally; hence, to be inferior; to grow poorer, meaner, or more vicious; to decline in good qualities; to deteriorate.</def>

<blockquote>When wit transgresseth decency, it <b>degenerates</b> into insolence and impiety. <i>Tillotson.</i></blockquote>