Crossword clues for obscenity
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English
The Collaborative International Dictionary
Obscenity \Ob*scen"i*ty\, n.; pl. Obscenities. [L. obscentias: cf. F. obsc['e]nit['e].] That quality in words or things which presents what is offensive to chastity or purity of mind; obscene or impure lanquage or acts; moral impurity; lewdness; obsceneness; as, the obscenity of a speech, or a picture.
Mr. Cowley asserts plainly, that obscenity has no place
in wit.
--Dryden.
No pardon vile obscenity should find.
--Pope.
Douglas Harper's Etymology Dictionary
1580s, "obscene quality," from French obscénité, from Latin obscenitatem (nominative obscenitas) "inauspiciousness, filthiness," from obscenus "offensive" (see obscene). Meaning "a foul or loathsome act" is 1610s. Sense of "an obscene utterance or word" is attested by 1690. Related: Obscenities.
Wiktionary
n. 1 (context countable English) Something that is obscene. 2 (context countable English) An act of obscene behaviour. 3 (context countable English) Specifically, an offensive word; a profanity; a dirty word. 4 (context uncountable English) The qualities that make something obscene; lewdness, indecency, or offensive behaviour.
WordNet
n. the trait of behaving in an obscene manner [syn: lewdness, bawdiness, salaciousness, salacity]
an offensive or indecent word or phrase [syn: vulgarism, dirty word]
an obscene act
Wikipedia
An obscenity is any utterance or act that strongly offends the prevalent morality of the time. It is derived from the Latin obscaena (offstage) a cognate of the Ancient Greek root skene, because some potentially offensive content, such as murder or sex, was depicted offstage in classical drama. The word can be used to indicate a strong moral repugnance, in expressions such as "obscene profits" or "the obscenity of war".
Usage examples of "obscenity".
All the obscenity and salacious infamy spawned in the muck of the abysmal pits of life seemed to drown her in seas of cosmic filth.
It was not at the agonized contortions and posturing of the wretched boy that he was shocked, but at the cosmic obscenity of these beings which could drag to light the abysmal secrets that sleep in the unfathomed darkness of the human soul, and find pleasure in the brazen flaunting of such things as should not be hinted at, even in restless nightmares.
All the obscenity and salacious infamy spawned in the muck of the abysmal pits of Life seemed to drown her in seas of cosmic filth.
If you existed, you had to exist all the way, as far as mouldiness, bloatedness, obscenity were concerned.
As the Princess lifted the lid of her white piano in the ring while Mignon flounced her lacy skirts, Buffo, babbling obscenities, was loaded into a waiting cab, leaving the circus for the last time, as he had never done before, in the way that gentlemen did, by the front entrance.
Came clanks, rattles, splashes, yells, puffing of steam, creaking turns of the windlass, and a frenzy of running around, and a great cadenza of obscenity.
The Donne Furlane was the piece, a comedy of art as they call it here-- or, as we say, a comedy of masks--wherein the stock characters of Harlequin, Columbine, Brighella and Pantalone are given a rag of a plot, and are expected to embroider that with follies, drolleries and obscenities according as their humour of the moment may dictate.
They would in their flagrance remove freedom from us, by forcing us to blind ourselves, to shelter and protect ourselves from their obscenity.
Chaby sniffed, audibly, formed his lips in a silent obscenity which indicated that he understood, and lit an extra-length cigarette.
His mordacious propinquity casts a reviling sensation of obscenity about me.
Charles Rembar, bragged in his book The End of Obscenity that he gave the activist judges on the Supreme Court the rationale to reverse convictions under the laws passed by legislatures, until they were no longer enforceable against Obscenity.
Jaspin tried to push him back inside, but to his amazement Senhor Papamacer shook his head and rushed forward, seizing the scratcher by both his shoulders, pulling him around, shaking him furiously, showering him with what sounded like Brazilian obscenities.
Tavarre and Vedro brought up the rear, shouting obscenities and waving their arms as they herded the villagers along.
Framed for him there were Vera Meroving and her lieutenant in profile, she striking at his chest with what appeared to be a small riding crop, he twisting a gloved hand into her hair and talking to her all the while, so precisely that the voyeur Mondaugen could lip-read each obscenity.
The poem contained some passages expressive of liberal sentiment, and these, much rather than its obscenity, attracted the attention of the police.