† aˈppropre, aˈpproprie, v. Obs.
Forms: α. 4–5 apropre, 4–6 appropre, -yr, 6 appropir, 6–7 approper. Also β. 4 approprie, 4–5 -ye, pa. pple. 4–7 appropried.
[a. OFr. aproprie-r:—late L. appr-, adpropriā-re (c 450), f. ad to, with idea of ‘rendering’ + propri-us own. Two forms: one (from AFr.) suppressing -i-; the other, used chiefly in pa. pple., preserving -i, -y. Superseded in 17th c. by the Latinized equivalent appropriate.]
1. To assign as private property or possession to; to set apart for a special purpose; spec. in Eccl. to annex to a religious corporation.
| α 1340 Ayenb. 40 Þe y-halȝede stedes þet byeþ apropred to guodes seruise. Ibid. 41 Ofhyaldeþ mid wrong..þe þinges þet byeþ apropred to holy cherche. c 1449 Pecock Repr. iii. xiv. 368 Whanne a parisch chirche is aproprid to an abbey. 1496 Dives & Paup. (W. de W.) iv. vii. 170 a, The lyght of the sonne may not be..appropred to one place more than to an other. |
| β 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xiv. xlvii. (1495) 484 That manere of felde that hyghte Campus is apropryed to noo man. 1587 Golding De Mornay xxi. (1617) 364 A Chapter appropried to the same purpose. |
2. To assign or attribute as proper
to.
| α 1384 Chaucer Gentilesse 18 His vertuous noblesse That is appropred [v.r. enpropred] unto no degree. a 1400 Relig. Pieces fr. Thornt. MS. 27 Godd þe ffadyre to whaym is appropyrede myghte. 1508 Fisher Wks. i. 205 But to lye longe and contynue in synne is appropred to the deuyll. 1614 Selden Titles Hon. 67 Astrologers approper certain starres to Kings only. |
| β 1340 Hampole Pr. Consc. 8149 Þus salle endles lyfe appropryed be, Tylle þe saved bodyse. 1557 Primer (Sarum) H ij, God to whome it is appropried to be mercifull ever. 1614 Selden Titles Hon. 265 Capitaneus and Valuasor was also appropried to speciall Dignities beneath a Count. |
3. To make one's own; to take possession of. (
Orig. with
refl. pron. etc., afterwards
absol.)
| α 1366 Mandeville v. 35 Kyngdomes that he hath conquered and apropred to him be strengthe. c 1400 Destr. Troy xxx. 12193, I haue aproprid to oure partis prouyns besyde. 1502 Arnold Chron. 276 Whether ony executor..appropir ony thing of the goodis of the deed man. |
| β 1474 Caxton Chesse 77 To kepe them from appropryyng to them self that thyng that aperteyneth to the comyn. |