I.disgrace, dishonor, infamy, shame (for syn. cf.: offensio, contumelia, infamia, ignominia, turpitudo, obscoenitas, injuria—freq. and class.).
I. In gen.: eos dolores atque carnificinas per dedecus atque maximam contumeliam te facere ausum esse? Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17; “so with ignominia,” Cic. Div. 2, 9; “with infamia,” id. Cluent. 22, 61; cf. id. Cat. 1, 6; “with flagitium,” id. Mur. 5, 12; “with probrum,” id. Rosc. Am. 24, 68: “vitam per dedecus amittere,” Sall. C. 20, 9: “in dedecora incurrunt,” Cic. Fin. 1, 14, 47; cf. “with damnum,” Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 39: “magnum fuit generi vestro,” Cic. Brut. 34, 130: “dedecori est,” Ter. Heaut. 2, 3, 93: “dedecori esse (alicui),” Cic. Off. 1, 33 fin.; id. Att. 8, 11 et saep.; cf. “also: aliter ampla domus dedecori domino fit,” id. Off. 1, 39, 139.—
B. Concr. (as sometimes our word shame), that which causes shame; a disgrace, blot, blemish: cum nec prodere visum dedecus auderet (viz., the ass's ears of Midas), Ov. M. 11, 184; cf.: naturae dedecus, a monster, said of the ass, Phaedr. 1, 21, 11; cf. Petr. 74, 9; Vulg. Sir. 3, 13. —
II. (Acc. to decus, no. II.) Like τὸ κακόν, moral dishonor, vice, turpitude; a vicious action, shameful deed, etc. (very freq.): “decus, quod antiqui summum bonum esse dixerant ... itemque dedecus illi summum malum,” Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 5, 14; id. Fin. 3, 11, 38: “dedecus admittere,” Caes. B. G. 4, 25, 5; id. B. C. 3, 64 fin.; Cic. Verr. 1, 17, 51; id. Fam. 3, 10, 2 al.: “ad avertendos tantorum dedecorum rumores,” Suet. Calig. 48 et saep.; of unchastity, Ov. M. 2, 473; 9, 26; Suet. Aug. 68: “dedecorum pretiosus emptor,” Hor. Od. 3, 6, 32: “abdicamus occulta dedecoris,” Vulg. 2 Cor. 4, 2.
