profligacy

[Eng. profligate: -cy.] The quality or state of being profligate: a profligate, vicious, or abandoned course of life; shamele di ipation; the state of being lost to the sense of shame or decency. "The profligacy of the representations soon drove away sober people." -Macaulay : Hist. Eng ., ch. iii. prof-li-gate, a . & s. [Lat. prof lig at us , pa. par. of profligo to dash to the ground, to overthrow, hence, abandoned, di olute: pro = forward, and fligo -to dash.] A. As adjective : *1. Beaten down; overthrown. ( Butler : Hudi bras .) 2. Abandoned to vice: lost to all sense of shame II. Figuratively : profuser 1. Bending low; lowly, humble; expre ing or characterized by deep humility. 2. Intellectually deep; entering or penetrating deeply into subjects; not superficial. "Not orators only with the people, but even the very profoundest disputers in all faculties, have hereby often, with the best learned, prevailed most." - Hooker : Eccies. Polity . 3. Characterized by intensity; deeply felt; intense, heart-felt. "[I] worship nature with a thought profound." Byron: Epistle to August a. 4. Deep-fetched, heart-felt, sincere. 5. Thorough, perfect; deep in skill or acquirements. ( Hosea v. 2.) IMG:content-1573.png:[blocks in formation] "Why sigh you so profoundly ?"- Shakesp .. Troilus and Cre ida, iv. 2. 2. With deep penetration or insight; deeply; 3. Exceedingly; exce ively. edne or di ipation. or decency; extremely vicious; shamele in wick with great knowledge; as, one profoundly learned. "Thou art so witty, profligate , and thin, That thou thyself art Milton's Death and sin." Young: Epigram on Voltaire . 3. Shamele , abandoned. "The corrupt and profligate conversation of the world."- Sharp : Sermons, vol. vi., ser. 13. B. As subst.: An abandoned person; one who has lost all sense of shame or decency; one who lives profligately. "It is pleasant to see a notorious profligate seized with a concern for his religion, and converting his spleen into zeal."- Add is on. *prof-li-gāte, v . t . [PROFLIGATE, a .] To overthrow, to overcome, to conquer, to disperse. prof-li-gate-ly, adv . [Eng. profligate ; -ly .] In a profligate, vicious, or di ipated manner; shamele ly; without principle or shame. "Such profligately wicked persons."-Sharp: Sermons, vol. i., ser. 2. prof-li-gate-ne , s . [Eng. profligate ; -ne .] The quality or state of being profligate; profligacy. "If this country could be preserved from utter profli gatene and ruin."- Porteus : Life of Secker . *prof-li-ga-tion, subst . [Lat. profligatio , from prof tig at us , pa. par. of profligo to overthrow.] [PROFLIGATE, a .] Overthrow, defeat, rout. "To the prof ligation and feare full slaughter of their owne subjects."-Bp. Hall. To Pope Urban the Eighth. *prof-lû-ençe, subst . [Latin profluent i a , from profluens , pr. par. of profluo = to flow forward: pro forward, and fluo to flow.] The quality or state of being profluent; forward progre or course. "In the profluence or proceeding of their fortunes, there was much difference between them" -Wotton : Remains , p. 164. *prof-lû-ent, adj . [Latin profluens , pr. par. of profluo.] [PROFLUENCE.] Flowing forward. "Baptizing in the profluent stream." Milton: P L. , xii. 446. IMG:content-1574.png:[blocks in formation] chin, bench; go, gem; thin, this; "For if your author be profoundly good, ''Twill cost you dear before he's understood." Roscommon : Translated Verse.