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Profligate


PROF'LIGATE, adjective [Latin profligatus, profligo, to rout, to ruin; pro and fligo, to drive or dash. The word then signifies dashed, broken or ruined in morals. See Flog and Afflict.]

Abandoned to vice; lost to principle, virtue or decency; extremely vicious; shameless in wickedness; as a profligate man or wretch.

Next age will see

A race more profligate than we.

Made prostitute and profligate the muse,

Debas'd to each obscene and impious use.

PROF'LIGATE, noun An abandoned man; a wretch who has lost all regard to good principles, virtue or decency.

How could such a profligate as Antony, or a boy of eighteen like Octavius, ever dare to dream of giving law to such an empire?

PROF'LIGATE, verb transitive To drive away; a Latin signification. [Not used.]

1. To overcome. [Not used.]