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Debauch vs Libertinism - What's the difference?

debauch | libertinism |

As nouns the difference between debauch and libertinism

is that debauch is an individual act of debauchery while libertinism is a lifestyle or pattern of behavior characterized by self-indulgence and lack of restraint, especially one involving sexual promiscuity and rejection of religious or other moral authority.

As a verb debauch

is to morally corrupt (someone); to seduce.

debauch

English

Noun

(es)
  • An individual act of debauchery.
  • *1902 , Thomas Ebenezer Webb, The Mystery of William Shakespeare: A Summary of Evidence , page 242:
    • Greene died of a debauch ; and Marlowe, the gracer of tragedians, perished in an ignominious brawl.
  • * 1913 , , The Insidious Dr. Fu Manchu , ch. 25:
    • [T]he room probably was one which he actually used for opium debauches .
  • An orgy.
  • * 1955 , , Catch-22 , ch. 13:
    • [T]here were always the gay and silly sensual young girls that Yossarian had found and brought there and those that the sleepy enlisted men returning to Pianosa after their own exhausting seven-day debauch had brought there.

    Verb

    (es)
  • To morally corrupt (someone); to seduce.
  • * 1727 , , The History of the Devil , ch. 9:
    • But the Devil had met with too much Success in his first Attempts, not to go on with his general Resolution of debauching the Minds of Men, and bringing them off from God.
  • To debase (something); to lower the value of (something).
  • * 2014 March 23, , " Peter Hitchens's Blog: 23 March 2014 1:41 AM," The Mail on Sunday (UK) (retrieved 18 April 2014):
    • [S]aving of all kinds is pointless when interest is microscopic and state-sponsored inflation is debauching the currency.

    Derived terms

    * debauchee * debaucher * debauchery * debauchment

    Related terms

    *

    References

    libertinism

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lifestyle or pattern of behavior characterized by self-indulgence and lack of restraint, especially one involving sexual promiscuity and rejection of religious or other moral authority.
  • *1852 , , The History of Henry Esmond, Esq. , ch. 13,
  • *:The lord made a boast of his libertinism , and frequently avowed that he held all women to be fair game.
  • *1855 , , "The Grand Prior of Minorca: A Veritable Ghost Story," in Chronicles of Wolfert's Roost and Other Papers ,
  • *:They led a life of luxury and libertinism , and were to be found in the most voluptuous courts of Europe.
  • *1990 , David Gross and Sophfronia Scott, " Proceeding With Caution," Time , 16 Jul.,
  • *:Only on college campuses do remnants of libertinism linger. That worries public-health officials, who are witnessing an explosion of sexually transmitted diseases.
  • * 1993 , Peter N. Miller, "‘Freethinking’ and ‘Freedom of Thought’ in Eighteenth-Century Britain," The Historical Journal , vol. 36, no. 3, p. 601:
    • To facilitate their counter-attack, the targets of this critique sought to reduce the plurality of libertinisms to a simple libertine personality.

    Related terms

    * (l)

    References

    *" libertinism" at OneLook® Dictionary Search .