Hypertext Webster Gateway: "profligate"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Profligate \Prof"li*gate\, n.
An abandoned person; one openly and shamelessly vicious; a
dissolute person. ``Such a profligate as Antony.'' --Swift.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Profligate \Prof"li*gate\, v. t.
To drive away; to overcome.
Note: [A Latinism] [Obs.] --Harvey.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Profligate \Prof"li*gate\, a. [L. profligatus, p. p. of
profligare to strike or dash to the ground, to destroy; pro
before + a word akin to fligere to strike. See {Afflict}.]
1. Overthrown; beaten; conquered. [Obs.]
The foe is profligate, and run. --Hudibras.
2. Broken down in respect of rectitude, principle, virtue, or
decency; openly and shamelessly immoral or vicious;
dissolute; as, profligate man or wretch.
A race more profligate than we. --Roscommon.
Made prostitute and profligate muse. --Dryden.
Syn: Abandoned; corrupt; dissolute; vitiated; depraved;
vicious; wicked. See {Abandoned}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
profligate
adj 1: recklessly wasteful; "prodigal in their expenditures" [syn:
{extravagant}, {prodigal}, {spendthrift}]
2: unrestrained by convention or morality; "Congreve draws a
debauched aristocratic society"; "deplorably dissipated
and degraded"; "riotous living"; "fast women" [syn: {debauched},
{degenerate}, {degraded}, {dissipated}, {dissolute}, {libertine},
{riotous}, {fast}]
n 1: a dissolute man in fashionable society [syn: {rake}, {rip},
{blood}, {roue}]
2: a recklessly extravagant consumer [syn: {prodigal}, {squanderer}]
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