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From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
Degrade \De*grade"\, verb (used with an object) [imp. & p. p. {Degraded}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Degrading}.] [F. d['e]grader, LL. degradare, fr. L. de- + gradus step, degree. See {Grade}, and cf. {Degree}.]
1. To reduce from a higher to a lower rank or degree; to lower in rank; to deprive of office or dignity; to strip of honors; as, to degrade a nobleman, or a general officer.
Prynne was sentenced by the Star Chamber Court to be degraded from the bar. --Palfrey.
2. To reduce in estimation, character, or reputation; to lessen the value of; to lower the physical, moral, or intellectual character of; to debase; to bring shame or contempt upon; to disgrace; as, vice degrades a man.
O miserable mankind, to what fall Degraded, to what wretched state reserved! --Milton.
Yet time ennobles or degrades each line. --Pope.
Her pride . . . struggled hard against this degrading passion. --Macaulay.
3. (Geol.) To reduce in altitude or magnitude, as hills and mountains; to wear down.
Syn: To abase; demean; lower; reduce. See {Abase}.
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 [gcide]:
degrading \de*grad"ing\, adjective causing humiliation or degradation; as, a degrading surrender. [PJC]
From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:
degrading
adjective
1: harmful to the mind or morals; "corrupt judges and their corrupting influence"; "the vicious and degrading cult of violence" [syn: {corrupting}]
2: used of conduct; characterized by dishonor [syn: {debasing}]
From Moby Thesaurus II by Grady Ward, 1.0 [moby-thes]:
52 Moby Thesaurus words for "degrading": abasement, abusive, atrocious, backhand, backhanded, beneath one, bump, bust, calumnious, casting down, cheap, contumelious, debasement, debasing, degradation, demeaning, demotion, deplorable, depluming, discreditable, disgraceful, disgrading, displuming, downgrading, gutter, humbling, humiliating, humiliative, infra dig, infra indignitatem, insolent, insulting, left-handed, lowering, offensive, opprobrious, outrageous, pitiful, reduction, sad, scandalous, scurrile, scurrilous, shameful, shaming, shocking, sorry, stripping of rank, too bad, unbecoming, unspeakable, unworthy of one
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Definitions retrieved from local copies of the freely distributed DICT client/server software and databases. Click here for database copyright information. - KM |