Dictionary

unproper en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ʌnˈpɹɒpə/ (UK)

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *né Proto-Indo-European *n̥- Proto-Germanic *un- Proto-West Germanic *un- Old English un- Middle English un- English un- Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *per-der.? Proto-Indo-European *pér Proto-Indo-European *-o Proto-Indo-European *pró Proto-Indo-European *pro- Proto-Italic *pro- Proto-Indo-European *preyH- Proto-Indo-European *-ós Proto-Indo-European *priHós Proto-Italic *prijos Proto-Italic *proprijos Latin propriusbor. Anglo-Norman proprebor. Middle English propre English proper English unproper From un- + proper.

Meanings

1. (obsolete) Improper, not according with fact or reason; wrong, irregular.
   • Sir, as I said last time, labour to keep your alacrity and dignity, in an even temper: for in a dark sadness, indifferent things seem abominable, or necessary, being neither; as trees, and sheep, to melancholy night-walkers, have unproper shapes. c. 1631, John Donne, letter to Sir Henry Goodyere, Works, Letter XC, p. 409
2. (archaic) Improper, not suited for its use or application; inappropriate.
   • The pleasure in the act of Venus is the greatest of the pleasures of the senses: the matching of it with itch is unproper; though that also be pleasing to the touch. 1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “VII. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, page 694:
   • Transparency is paramount. If football’s guardians cannot deliver it they will, rightly, be deemed to be every bit as unfit and unproper to play a role in administering the sport as any secretive investor they may feel motivated to investigate. 2009, "Own Goal for Football", The Times, 10 Oct 09
3. (obsolete) Not belonging to a given person; someone else's.
   • There's Millions now aliue, That nightly lye in those vnproper beds, Which they dare sweare peculiar. c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
4. (rare) Improper, not according with good standards of behaviour; indecent, indecorous.
   • His equally unproper brother, City Planner Charles W. II, shocked purists in the 19303 by building a flat-topped house in Ipswich. 1962 April 27, “Meet me in St. Louis”, in Time:

Forms

Deriveds

unproperly · unproperness