1589. Puttenham, Eng. Poesie, III. xxiii. (Arb.), 271. Diuers points, in which the wise and learned men of times past haue noted much decency or vndecencie.
1656. Clarke Papers (Camden) III. 75. Upon a motion against blackpatches used by women on their faces, all undecency in apparrell was also moved again.
1692. South, Serm. (1697), I. 482. From this springs the Notion of Decency or Undecency; that which becomes or mis-becomes.
b. = INDECENCY 1 b.
1624. Gataker, Transubst., 189. It should be subject to many undecencies, as corruption, putrefaction, mice-eating.
1660. Jer. Taylor, Worthy Commun., Introd. 5. A disproportionate instrument is an undecency, and makes the effect impossible.
a. 1716. South, Serm. (1744), VII. 30. Every vacuity is (as it were) the hunger of the creation, both an undecency, and a torment.
