Lewd, a.

(lūd), a. [compar. LEWDER; superl. LEWD-EST.] [O. Eng. lewed, lewd, lay, ignorant, vile; A-S. læwed, læwed, læwed, lewed, læwced, laical, belonging to the laity. Cf. LAYMAN.] 1. Not clerical; pertaining to, or characterizing, the laity; laic; laical; hence, unlearned; ignorant; foolish; simple. [Obs.] Yea, blessed be alway a lewed man That naught but only his believe can. Chaucer. The almightiness of God standeth not in that he is able to do all that our foolish, lewd thoughts may imagine. Tyndale. 2. Contemptible; vile; despicable; profligate; dissolute. [Rare.] But the Jews, who believed not, . . . took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort, . . . and assaulted the house of Jason. Acts xvii. 5. Great numbers of men were trained up in an idle and dissolute way of life, . . . and then, if not ashamed to beg, too lewd to work, and ready for any kind of mischief. Southey.

3. Given to the unlawful indulgence of lust; dissolute; lustful; filthy.
4. Proceeding from unlawful lust; as, lewd actions.

Syn.—Lustful; libidinous; licentious; profligate; dissolute; sensual; unchaste; impure; lascivious; lecherous.