proper
Part of speech: adj
adv
noun
Morphological type: simple
Topics: Christianity
algebraic-geometry
geometry
government
grammar
heraldry
hobbies
human-sciences
lifestyle
linguistics
mathematical-analysis
mathematics
monarchy
natural-sciences
nobility
physical-sciences
physics
politics
sciences
set-theory
topology
Etymology: Etymology tree
Latin propriusbor.
Anglo-Norman proprebor.
Middle English propre
English proper
From Middle English propre, from Anglo-Norman proper, propre, Old French propre (French: propre), from Latin proprius.
Inflected forms:
form: more proper
pos: adj
tags: comparative
form: most proper
pos: adj
tags: superlative
form: propa
pos: adj
tags: alternative
Geordie
form: propah
pos: adj
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propuh
pos: adj
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propre
pos: adj
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: propa
pos: adv
tags: alternative
Geordie
form: propah
pos: adv
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propuh
pos: adv
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propre
pos: adv
tags: alternative
obsolete
form: propers
pos: noun
tags: plural
form: propa
pos: noun
tags: alternative
Geordie
form: propah
pos: noun
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propuh
pos: noun
tags: alternative
pronunciation-spelling
form: propre
pos: noun
tags: alternative
obsolete
Senses:
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
examples: the proper time to plant potatoes
The proper study of mankind is man.
One of the hidden glories of Victorian engineering is proper drains. Isolating a city’s effluent and shipping it away in underground sewers has probably saved more lives than any medical procedure except vaccination.
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
examples: a very proper young lady
This new-comer was a man who in any company would have seemed striking.[…]Indeed, all his features were in large mold, like the man himself, as though he had come from a day when skin garments made the proper garb of men.
The Nippy became a national icon, symbolic of the girl next door, always approachable and proper; […]
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
gloss: Suitable.
pos: adj
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
examples: They have a proper saint almost for every peculiar infirmity: for poison, gouts, agues […].
1829, James Marsh, Preliminary Essay to Samuel Taylor Coleridge's Aids to Reflection
those higher and peculiar attributes […] which constitute our proper humanity
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
tags: postpositional
usually
examples: These are divided into two great families, the vipers proper (Viperidae) and the pit-vipers (Crotalidae).
Siberia, though it stands outside the territorial confines of Russia proper, constitutes an essentially component part […]. Outer Mongolia, [so called] to distinguish it from Inner Mongolia, which lies nearer to China proper, revolted and declared its independence.
Hence, this border is still blurred, raising the question whether traumatic life events induce sadness/distress – which is self-evident – or depression proper and, secondly, whether sadness/distress is a precursor or pacemaker of depression.
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
examples: proper motion — proper left — proper right
a man so bold
That dares do justice on my proper son
Now learn the difference, at your proper cost, / Betwixt true valour and an empty boast.
every country, and more than that, every private place, hath his proper remedies growing in it, particular almost to the domineering and most frequent maladies of it.
Each animal has its proper pleasure, and the proper pleasure of man is connected with reason.
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
examples: proper subset — proper ideal
gloss: Possessed, related.
pos: adj
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
examples: Now that was a proper breakfast.
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
tags: regional
examples: The same tyme was Moses borne, and was a propper [translating ἀστεῖος (asteîos)] childe in the sight of God, which was norisshed up in his fathers housse thre monethes.
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
tags: often
postpositional
examples: Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head in some secluded spot outside the city proper[…].
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
tags: colloquial
examples: When I realized I was wearing my shirt inside out, I felt a proper fool.
gloss: Accurate, strictly applied.
pos: adj
gloss: properly; thoroughly; completely.
pos: adv
tags: Ireland
UK
colloquial
not-comparable
examples: 'I thought it was the American Associated Press.' 'Oh, they are on the track, are they?' 'They to-day, and the Times yesterday. Oh, they are buzzing round proper.'
“Christmas Eve,” said Nabby Adams. “I used to pump the bloody organ for the carols, proper pissed usually.”
The kid towelled him up proper.
Don't you think you must have looked proper daft?
gloss: properly.
pos: adv
tags: colloquial
nonstandard
not-comparable
examples: "But it's not many of us as can make 'em proper."
When I meet a bad chick, know I gotta tell her hello
talk real proper, but she straight up out the ghetto
gloss: Something set apart for a special use.
pos: noun
tags: obsolete
gloss: A part of the Christian liturgy that varies according to the date.
pos: noun
Related words: appropriate
propriety
properly
Derived words: Aurora Hill Proper
China proper
city proper
do the proper thing
good and proper
in proper
Israel proper
La Paz Proper
nonproper
substantive proper
Novaliches Proper
of its proper movement
Pasong Putik Proper
Persia proper
prim and proper
proper acceleration
proper adjective
proper article
proper class
proper divisor
proper fraction
proper job
proper name
properness
proper noun
proper nounhood
proper time
property
proper value
proper vector
pseudoproper
strictly proper
subproper
superproper
unproper
Translations:
lang: Finnish
word: luonnonvärinen
lang: Swedish
word: naturfärgad