dē-dĕcus, ŏris, n., disgrace, dishonor, infamy, shame (for syn. cf.: offensio, contumelia, infamia, ignominia, turpitudo, obscoenitas, injuria—freq. and class.).
I In gen.: eos dolores atque carnificinas per dedecus atque maximam contumeliam te facere ausum esse? Cato ap. Gell. 10, 3, 17; so with ignominia, Cic. Div. 2, 9; with infamia, id. Cluent. 22, 61; cf. id. Cat. 1, 6; with flagitium, id. Mur. 5, 12; with probrum, id. Rosc. Am. 24, 68: vitam per dedecus amittere, Sall. C. 20, 9: in dedecora incurrunt, Cic. Fin. 1, 14, 47; cf. with damnum, Plaut. Bacch. 1, 1, 39: magnum fuit generi vestro, Cic. Brut. 34, 130: dedecori est, Ter. Heaut. 334: dedecori esse (alicui), Cic. Off. 1, 33 fin. ; id. Att. 8, 11 et saep.; cf. also: aliter ampla domus dedecori domino fit, id. Off. 1, 39, 139.—
B Concr. (as sometimes our word shame ), that which causes shame; a disgrace, blot, blemish : cum nec prodere visum dedecus auderet (viz., the ass's ears of Midas), Ov. M. 11, 184; cf.: naturae dedecus, a monster , said of the ass, Phaedr. 1, 21, 11; cf. Petr. 74, 9; Vulg. Sir. 3, 13. —
II (Acc. to decus, no. II.) Like τὸ κακόν, moral dishonor, vice, turpitude; a vicious action, shameful deed , etc. (very freq.): decus, quod antiqui summum bonum esse dixerant ... itemque dedecus illi summum malum, Cic. Leg. 1, 21, 55; cf. id. Tusc. 2, 5, 14; id. Fin. 3, 11, 38: dedecus admittere, Caes. B. G. 4, 25, 5; id. B. C. 3, 64 fin. ; Cic. Verr. 1, 17, 51; id. Fam. 3, 10, 2 al.: ad avertendos tantorum dedecorum rumores, Suet. Calig. 48 et saep.; of unchastity , Ov. M. 2, 473; 9, 26; Suet. Aug. 68: dedecorum pretiosus emptor, Hor. Od. 3, 6, 32: abdicamus occulta dedecoris, Vulg. 2 Cor. 4, 2.