- licentious
- licentious "morally unrestrained," 1530s, from M.L. licentiosus "full of license, unrestrained," from L. licentia (see LICENSE (Cf. license)). Related: Licentiously; licentiousness.
Etymology dictionary. 2014.
licentious
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Licentious — Li*cen tious ( sh[u^]s), a. [L. licentiosus: cf. F. licencieux. See {License}.] 1. Characterized by license; passing due bounds; excessive; abusive of freedom; wantonly offensive; as, a licentious press. [1913 Webster] A wit that no licentious… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
licentious — licentious, libertine, lewd, wanton, lustful, lascivious, libidinous, lecherous all suggest unchaste habits, especially in being given to or indicative of immorality in sex relations. Licentious basically implies disregard of the restraints… … New Dictionary of Synonyms
licentious — li·cen·tious /lī sen chəs/ adj: disregarding legal restraints esp. with regard to sexual relations arrested as a prostitute for licentious sexual intercourse li·cen·tious·ly adv li·cen·tious·ness n Merriam Webster’s Dictionary of Law. Merriam… … Law dictionary
licentious — [adj] immoral, uncontrolled abandoned, amoral, animal, carnal, corrupt, debauched, depraved, desirous, disorderly, dissolute, fast, fast and loose*, fleshly, impure, incontinent, in the fast lane*, lascivious, lax, lecherous, lewd, libertine,… … New thesaurus
licentious — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ promiscuous and unprincipled in sexual matters. DERIVATIVES licentiously adverb licentiousness noun. ORIGIN Latin licentiosus, from licentia freedom … English terms dictionary
licentious — [lī sen′shəs] adj. [L licentiosus < licentia: see LICENSE] 1. Rare disregarding accepted rules and standards 2. morally unrestrained, esp. in sexual activity; lascivious licentiously adv. licentiousness n … English World dictionary
licentious — In contrast with the person suffering from akrasia, who feels the conflict yet succumbs to temptation, the licentious person is supposed to feel no conflict at all between low desire and the promptings of a better self or a higher reason. The… … Philosophy dictionary
licentious — [[t]laɪse̱ntʃəs[/t]] ADJ GRADED (disapproval) If you describe a person as licentious, you mean that they are very immoral, especially in their sexual behaviour. [FORMAL] ...alarming stories of licentious behaviour. Derived words: licentiousness N … English dictionary
licentious — adjective a book that exaggerates the licentious behavior of the rich and famous Syn: dissolute, dissipated, debauched, degenerate, immoral, naughty, wanton, decadent, depraved, sinful, corrupt; lustful, lecherous, lascivious, libidinous,… … Thesaurus of popular words
licentious — adjective Etymology: Latin licentiosus, from licentia Date: 1535 1. lacking legal or moral restraints; especially disregarding sexual restraints 2. marked by disregard for strict rules of correctness • licentiously adverb • licentiousness noun … New Collegiate Dictionary
