indecency

indecency
   an illegal sexual act
   Nearly always by a male, but also used when an older woman copulates with a boy under the age of sixteen. Literally, it means unseemliness of any kind. In former use, it might refer to any extramarital sexual behaviour:
    Numbers lie on the kitchen floor, all huddled together, men and women (when indecencies are common enough). (Mayhew, 1851)
   An indecent offence is sexual:
    Accused by fellow officers of an indecent offence with a local youth... (Private Eye, July 1980)
   An indecent assault is nearly always by a man against a woman, covering anything from pinching her bottom to attempted rape.
   Indecent exposure is the display of the penis to strangers in public.
   See also gross indecency.

How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. . 2014.

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  • indecency — I noun impropriety, indecorousness, indelicacy, obnoxiousness, tastelessness, unseemingliness, untastefulness, vulgarity associated concepts: indecent assault, indecent exposure, indecent liberties, indecent publications, lewd and lascivious… …   Law dictionary

  • Indecency — In*de cen*cy, n.; pl. {Indecencies}. [L. indecentia unseemliness: cf. F. ind[ e]cence.] [1913 Webster] 1. The quality or state of being indecent; lack of decency, modesty, or good manners; obscenity. [1913 Webster] 2. That which is indecent; an… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • indecency — (n.) 1580s, from L. indecentia unseemliness, impropriety, noun of quality from indecentem (see INDECENT (Cf. indecent)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • indecency — [n] obscenity, vulgarity bawdiness, coarseness, crudity, drunkenness, evil, foulness, grossness, immodesty, impropriety, impurity, incivility, indecorum, indelicacy, lewdness, licentiousness, offense, outrageousness, pornography, ribaldry,… …   New thesaurus

  • indecency — [in dē′sən sē] n. [L indecentia] 1. the state or quality of being indecent; lack of modesty, taste, or propriety 2. pl. indecencies an indecent act, statement, etc …   English World dictionary

  • indecency — [[t]ɪndi͟ːs(ə)nsi[/t]] 1) N UNCOUNT If you talk about the indecency of something or someone, you are indicating that you find them morally or sexually offensive. ...the indecency of their language. 2) N UNCOUNT In law, an act of indecency is an… …   English dictionary

  • indecency — noun ADJECTIVE ▪ gross ▪ public ▪ broadcast (AmE) ▪ legislation to multiply broadcast indecency fines PHRASES ▪ …   Collocations dictionary

  • indecency — in|de|cen|cy [ ın disnsi ] noun uncount 1. ) the offensive or shocking nature of something 2. ) LEGAL in British law, indecency is a crime involving offensive sexual behavior: an act of gross indecency …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • indecency — I (Roget s IV) n. 1. [The quality of being indecent] Syn. coarseness, grossness, bawdiness, vulgarity; see lewdness . 2. [An instance of indecency] Syn. impurity, immodesty, offense, incivility, impropriety, indecorum, ribaldry, indelicacy,… …   English dictionary for students

  • indecency — noun (U) law behaviour that is sexually offensive, especially indecent exposure: gross indecency …   Longman dictionary of contemporary English

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