3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Degradation  \Deg`ra*da"tion\,  n.  [LL.  degradatio,  from 
  degradare:  cf  F.  d['e]gradation.  See  {Degrade}.] 
  1.  The  act  of  reducing  in  rank,  character,  or  reputation,  or 
  of  abasing;  a  lowering  from  one's  standing  or  rank  in 
  office  or  society;  diminution;  as  the  degradation  of  a 
  peer,  a  knight,  a  general,  or  a  bishop. 
 
  He  saw  many  removes  and  degradations  in  all  the 
  other  offices  of  which  he  had  been  possessed. 
  --Clarendon. 
 
  2.  The  state  of  being  reduced  in  rank,  character,  or 
  reputation;  baseness;  moral,  physical,  or  intellectual 
  degeneracy;  disgrace;  abasement;  debasement. 
 
  The  .  .  .  degradation  of  a  needy  man  of  letters. 
  --Macaulay. 
 
  Deplorable  is  the  degradation  of  our  nature. 
  --South. 
 
  Moments  there  frequently  must  be  when  a  sinner  is 
  sensible  of  the  degradation  of  his  state.  --Blair. 
 
  3.  Diminution  or  reduction  of  strength,  efficacy,  or  value; 
  degeneration;  deterioration. 
 
  The  development  and  degradation  of  the  alphabetic 
  forms  can  be  traced.  --I.  Taylor 
  (The 
  Alphabet). 
 
  4.  (Geol.)  A  gradual  wearing  down  or  wasting,  as  of  rocks  and 
  banks,  by  the  action  of  water,  frost  etc 
 
  5.  (Biol.)  The  state  or  condition  of  a  species  or  group  which 
  exhibits  degraded  forms;  degeneration. 
 
  The  degradation  of  the  species  man  is  observed  in 
  some  of  its  varieties.  --Dana. 
 
  6.  (Physiol.)  Arrest  of  development,  or  degeneration  of  any 
  organ,  or  of  the  body  as  a  whole. 
 
  {Degradation  of  energy},  or  {Dissipation  of  energy} 
  (Physics),  the  transformation  of  energy  into  some  form  in 
  which  it  is  less  available  for  doing  work 
 
  Syn:  Abasement;  debasement;  reduction;  decline 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  degradation 
  n  1:  changing  to  a  lower  state  (a  less  respected  state)  [syn:  {debasement}] 
  2:  a  low  or  downcast  state:  "each  confesson  brought  her  into  an 
  attitude  of  abasement"-  H.L.Menchken  [syn:  {abasement},  {abjection}] 
 
  From  THE  DEVIL'S  DICTIONARY  ((C)1911  Released  April  15  1993)  [devils]: 
 
  DEGRADATION,  n.  One  of  the  stages  of  moral  and  social  progress  from 
  private  station  to  political  preferment. 
 
 

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