Degrade

Definition of Degrade

De`grade´

v. t.	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. [imp. & p. p. Degraded; p. pr. & vb. n. Degrading.] 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.
v. i.	1.	(Biol.) To degenerate; to pass from a higher to a lower type of structure; as, a family of plants or animals degrades through this or that genus or group of genera.

Related Words

adulterate, alloy, belittle, boot, bounce, break, bring down, bring into discredit, bring low, bring shame upon, bump, bust, can, canker, cashier, cast down, cast reproach upon, cheapen, coarsen, confound, contaminate, corrupt, cry down, debase, debauch, decry, defile, deflower, defrock, degenerate, demean, demerit, denature, deplume, depose, deprave, deprecate, depreciate, deprive, derogate, derogate from, desecrate, despoil, detract, detract from, devalue, dilute, diminish, disapprove of, disbar, discharge, discredit, disemploy, disenfranchise, disfranchise, disgrace, disgrade, dishonor, dismiss, disparage, displace, displume, distort, drum out, dump, dump on, expel, fire, furlough, give the ax, give the gate, hold in contempt, humiliate, impute shame to, infect, kick, kick upstairs, knock, lay off, lessen, let go, let out, make little of, make redundant, minimize, misuse, mortify, pension off, pervert, pillory, poison, pollute, prostitute, put down, put to shame, ravage, ravish, read out of, reflect discredit upon, release, remove, replace, reproach, retire, rule out, run down, sack, separate forcibly, set down, sink, slight, speak ill of, strip, strip of rank, submit to indignity, superannuate, surplus, suspend, taint, take down, thin, trip up, turn off, turn out, twist, ulcerate, unfrock, unseat, violate, vitiate, vulgarize, warp, water down, weaken

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Degenerate
Degenerately
Degenerateness
Degeneration
Degenerationist
Degenerative
Degenerous
Degenerously
Degerm
Degerminator
Deglaze
Deglazing
Degloried
Deglutinate
Deglutination
Deglutition
Deglutitious
Deglutitory
Degradation
Degradation of energy
-Degrade-
Degraded
Degradement
degrading
degradingly
Degras
Degravation
Degrease
Degree
Degree of a curve
Degree of latitude
Degree of longitude
degreed
degressive
Degu
Degum
Degust
Degustation
Dehisce
Dehiscence
Dehiscent

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