Lewis & Short

dĕcet, cuit, 2, v. impers. [Sanscr. dacas, fame; Gr. δοκέω, to seem, think; Lat. decus, dignus]. It is seemly, comely, becoming,; it beseems, behooves, is fitting, suitable, proper (for syn. v. debeo init.): decere quasi aptum esse consentaneumque tempori et personae, Cic. Or. 22, 74; cf. also nunc quid aptum sit, hoc est, quid maxime deceat in oratione videamus, id. de Or. 3, 55, 210 (very freq. and class.; not in Caes.).
Constr., with nom. or inf. of the thing, and with acc.; less freq. with dat. of the pers.; sometimes absol.

      1. a. With nom. rei
        1. (α) and acc. pers.: Ph. Quin me aspice et contempla, ut haec (sc. vestis) me decet. Sc. Virtute formae id evenit, te ut deceat, quicquid habeas, Plaut. Most. 1, 3, 16 sq.; cf.: quem decet muliebris ornatus, quem incessus psaltriae, Cic. Clod. fragm. 5, p. 105 ed. Beier: te toga picta decet, Prop. 4, 4, 53 al.; Hor. Ep. 1, 18, 30; Quint. 8, 5, 28; and nec habitus triumphalis feminas deceat, id. 11, 1, 3; cf.: omnis Aristippum color decuit, Hor. Ep. 1, 17, 23: intonsus crinis deum, Tib. 1, 4, 38; cf.: neglecta decet multas coma, Ov. A. A. 3, 153; id. F. 2, 106 et saep.: id maxime quemque decet, quod est cujusque maxime suum, Cic. Off. 1, 31, 113: quod omnes et semper et ubique decet, Quint. 11, 1, 14: non si quid Pholoen satis, Et te, Chlori, decet, Hor. Od. 3, 15, 8 et saep.: qui flexus deceat miserationem, Quint. 1, 11, 12: civitatem quis deceat status, Hor. Od. 3, 29, 25 et saep.
          In plur.: quem tenues decuere togae nitidique capilli, Hor. Ep. 1, 14, 32: te non citharae decent, id. Od. 3, 15, 14: alba decent Cererem: vestes Cerealibus albas Sumite, Ov. F. 4, 619; id. M. 1, 457 et saep.: nec velle experiri, quam se aliena deceant, Cic. Off. 1, 31, 113; Quint. 6, 1, 25: illa quoque diversa bonum virum decent, id. 11, 1, 42 et saep.: duo verba uni apposita ne versum quidem decuerint, id. 8, 6, 43.
        2. (β) Without acc. pers.: nihil est difficilius quam quid deceat videre, Cic. Or. 21, 70; cf.: quid deceat et quid aptum sit personis, id. Off. 1, 34 fin.: casus singularis magis decuit, Quint. 8, 3, 20; id. 11, 3, 161 et saep.: idem fere in omni genere causarum et proderit et decebit, id. 11, 1, 14; cf. id. 9, 4, 21.
          In plur.: ubi lepos, joci, risus, vinum, ebrietas decent, Plaut. Ps. prol. 20: cum magna pars est exhausta orationis, pene omnia decent, Quint. 11, 3, 147; 150; id. 11, 1, 48 et saep.
        3. (γ) With dat.: istuc facinus nostro generi non decet, Plaut. Am. 2, 2, 188: certa est ratio quae deceat philosopho, Apul. Flor. 3, p. 355, 13; Plaut. Pers. 2, 2, 34; cf. infra.
      2. b. With inf.
        1. (α) and acc. pers.: non te mihi irasci decet, Plaut. Am. 1, 3, 24: hanc maculam nos decet effugere, Ter. Ad. 5, 8, 31: oratorem irasci minime decet, Cic. Tusc. 4, 25; Quint. 12, 6, 3; Ov. M. 3, 265; so freq. with inf. pass.: specimen naturae capi debet ex optima quaque natura, Cic. Tusc. 1, 14, 32: mortalin’ decuit violari vulnere divum? Verg. A. 12, 797; Ter. And. prol. 16.
        2. (β) Without acc.: injusta ab justis impetrare non decet, Plaut. Am. prol. 35: exemplis grandioribus decuit uti, Cic. Div. 1, 20; Ov. M. 8, 27: nunc decet caput impedire myrto: nunc et in umbrosis Fauno decet immolare lucis, Hor. Od. 1, 4, 9 sq.; id. Ep. 1, 17, 2; Pers. 3, 27.
        3. (γ) With dat.: decet tantae majestati eas servare leges, quibus, etc., Dig. 32, 1, 23: ita uti liberali esse ingenio decet, Ter. Hec. 1, 2, 89: prima certe pensari decet populo utrum, etc., Liv. 34, 58, 8.
      3. c. Absol.
        1. (α) with acc. pers.: ita ut vos decet, Plaut. Most. 3, 2, 40; cf.: facis, ut te decet, Ter. Andr. 2, 5, 10; id. Heaut. 5, 5, 10: ita uti fortes decet milites, id. Eun. 4, 7, 44; cf.: id. Andr. 2, 6, 14: illum decet, Quint. 9, 4, 15 et saep.
        2. (β) Without case: eia haud sic decet, Ter. Eun. 5, 9, 35; cf. id. Hec. 2, 2, 10: fecisti ut decuerat, id. ib. 4, 4, 66: minus severe quam decuit, Cic. Phil. 6, 1: velata parte oris, quia sic decebat, it was becoming, Tac. A. 13, 45: nihil aliter ac deceat, id. Att. 6, 3, 8: perge; decet, Verg. A. 12, 153 et saep.
        3. (γ) With dat.: ita nobis decet, Ter. Ad. 5, 8, 5; id. Heaut. 5, 2, 12: locum editiorem quam victoribus decebat, Sall. H. 1, 98 (Serv. Verg. A. 8, 127.)
          Hence, dĕcens, entis, P. a. (freq. in Hor., Ov., and post-Aug. prose, esp. Quint.; not in Verg.; in Cic. once adverbially, and cf. decentia), seemly, becoming, decent, proper, fit: amictus, Ov. Pont. 2, 5, 52; cf.: decentior amictus, Quint. 11, 3, 156; and sinus (togae) decentissimus, id. 11, 3, 140: ornatus, id. 2, 15, 21: motus, Hor. Od. 4, 13, 17; Quint. 1, 10, 26; cf.: corporis decens et accommodatus orationi motus, id. 11, 3, 29; and allevatio atque contractio humerorum, id. 11, 3, 83: decentissimum sponsalium genus, Sen. Ben. 1, 9 et saep.: quid verum atque decens, Hor. Ep. 1, 1, 11: decentius erit servare pudorem, Quint. 11, 1, 78; cf. 8, 6, 6.
    1. 2. Esp. of corporeal fitness and symmetry, regularly, symmetrically, handsomely shaped; well-formed; noble: forma, Ov. Am. 3, 1, 9; cf.: habitus decentior quam sublimior, Tac. Agr. 44: facies, Ov. Tr. 3, 7, 33: malae, Hor. Od. 3, 27, 53: Venus, id. ib. 1, 18, 6; cf.: Cynthia, Prop. 4, 8, 52 (5, 8, 52 M.): Gratiae, Hor. Od. 1, 4, 6: (Paullus) et nobilis et decens, id. ib. 4, 1, 13: pulcher et decens toto corpore, Suct. Dom. 18; cf. Juv. 6, 161: sumptis decentior armis Minerva, Ov. H. 5, 35; Quint. 8, 3, 10 et saep.
      Adv.: decenter (acc. to no. 1), becomingly, decently, properly, fitly: fictis nominibus decenter uti, Plin. Ep. 6, 21, 5; cf.: fieri, Quint. 11, 1, 79: singula quaeque locum teneant sortita decenter, Hor. A. P. 92; cf.: maesta, Ov. Am. 2, 5, 44.
      Comp.: Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 216; Quint. 9, 1, 21 al.
      Sup., a false reading for diligentissime, Cic. Caes. 26, 74.