DEGRADATION

of God's people Ex 32:25; Eze 16:6; 20:31; 2Pe 2:22 --SEE Israel, ISRAEL-THE JEWS ISRAEL-THE JEWS

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degradation. Degradation, n. a degeneracy, removal, shade

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Deg′ra‐da″tion (?), n. [[LL. degradatio, from degradare: cf. F. dégradation. See Degrade.]] 1. 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. 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. 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. 4. (Geol.) A gradual wearing down or wasting, as of rocks and banks, by the action of water, frost etc.
5. 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. 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.