Degradation

Degradation
Degradation Deg`ra*da"tion, n. [LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F. d['e]gradation. See {Degrade}.] 1. The act of reducing in rank, character, or reputation, or of abasing; a lowering from one's standing or rank in office or society; diminution; as, the degradation of a peer, a knight, a general, or a bishop. [1913 Webster]

He saw many removes and degradations in all the other offices of which he had been possessed. --Clarendon. [1913 Webster]

2. The state of being reduced in rank, character, or reputation; baseness; moral, physical, or intellectual degeneracy; disgrace; abasement; debasement. [1913 Webster]

The . . . degradation of a needy man of letters. --Macaulay. [1913 Webster]

Deplorable is the degradation of our nature. --South. [1913 Webster]

Moments there frequently must be, when a sinner is sensible of the degradation of his state. --Blair. [1913 Webster]

3. Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or value; degeneration; deterioration. [1913 Webster]

The development and degradation of the alphabetic forms can be traced. --I. Taylor (The Alphabet). [1913 Webster]

4. (Geol.) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc. [1913 Webster]

5. (Biol.) The state or condition of a species or group which exhibits degraded forms; degeneration. [1913 Webster]

The degradation of the species man is observed in some of its varieties. --Dana. [1913 Webster]

6. (Physiol.) Arrest of development, or degeneration of any organ, or of the body as a whole. [1913 Webster]

{Degradation of energy}, or {Dissipation of energy} (Physics), the transformation of energy into some form in which it is less available for doing work.

Syn: Abasement; debasement; reduction; decline. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • Degradation — • A canonical penalty by which an ecclesiastic is entirely and perpetually deprived of all office, benefice, dignity, and power conferred on him by ordination; and by a special ceremony is reduced to the state of a layman, losing the privileges… …   Catholic encyclopedia

  • dégradation — 1. (dé gra da sion ; en poésie, de cinq syllabes) s. f. 1°   Destitution infamante d un grade, d une dignité, d une qualité. Dégradation militaire. Aucune peine infamante ne peut être exécutée contre un membre de la Légion d honneur, sans que d… …   Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré

  • dégradation — DÉGRADATION. s. fém. Destitution ignominieuse du grade, de l état où l on est. Le Roi a fait défendre à tous les Gentilshommes, à peine de dégradation de Noblesse ... Dégradation des armes. La dégradation d un Officier de guerre. Dégradation de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie Française 1798

  • Degradation — may refer to; Biodegradation, the processes by which organic substances are broken down by living organisms Cashiering or degradation ceremony, a ritual performed when cleric is deprived of office or a knight is stripped of the honour Chemical… …   Wikipedia

  • Degradation — oder Degradierung (von lat. degrado „herabsetzen“, zu gradus „Schritt“) bezeichnet allgemein die sukzessive Verringerung eines Wertes oder einer Eigenschaft. Unter anderem wird als Degradierung bezeichnet: Degradierung (Rang), in der Soziologie,… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • degradation — Degradation. s. f. v. Destitution du grade auquel on est. Le Roy a fait deffendre à tous les Gentilshommes à peine de degradation de noblesse. Il signifie aussi, Le degast considerable qu on fait dans des bois, dans un heritage. Il a fait de… …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • degradation — 1530s, from Fr. dégradation (14c., O.Fr. degradacion), from M.L. degradationem (nom. degradatio), noun of action from pp. stem of degradare (see DEGRADE (Cf. degrade)) …   Etymology dictionary

  • degradation — [deg΄rə dā′shən] n. [Fr dégradation < LL degradatio< degradare: see DEGRADE] 1. a degrading or being degraded in rank, status, or condition 2. a degraded condition 3. Geol. the lowering of land surfaces by erosion 4. R.C.Ch. laicization of… …   English World dictionary

  • Degradation — Degradation. См. Деградация. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • Degradation — (v. lat. Degradatio), 1) im Allgemeinen die Herabsetzung eines mit einer besonderen Würde Versehenen auf eine niedrigere Stufe, eine Ehrenstrafe; 2) besonders die Herabsetzung eines Beamten aus einem höheren Amte in ein niederes, eine… …   Pierer's Universal-Lexikon

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