‖ malapropos, adv., a., and n.
(malaprɔpo, mælæprəˈpəʊ)
Variously written mal à propos, mal a propos, mal a-propos, † malapropo, mal apropos, malapropos.
[F. mal à propos, f. mal ill + à to + propos purpose: see mal- and apropos.]
A. adv. In an inopportune or awkward manner; unseasonably, inappropriately.
| 1668 Dryden Ess. Dram. 28 They do it not so unseasonably, or mal a propos as we. 1673 ― Marr. à la Mode v. i, How durst you interrupt me so mal a propos. 1679 A. Behn Feign'd Curtizan iv. i, Thou dost come out with things so malapropo. 1750–1 Mrs. Delany Let. to Mrs. Dewes 5 Jan., Family affairs..sometimes will break in malapropos. 1823 Byron Juan vi. lxxxiv, One who had no sin to show Save that of dreaming once ‘mal-à-propos’. 1831 Praed Bridal of Belmont Poems (1864) I. 175 Some people have a knack, we know, Of saying things mal-à-propos. |
B. adj. Inopportune, inappropriate.
| 1711 Budgell Spect. No. 77 ¶5 Doing and saying an hundred Things which..were somewhat mal a propos and undesigned. 1735 Fielding Eurydice Wks. 1771 III. 219 Considering where the scene lies, I think these sentiments are not mal-à-propos. 1802 Mrs. J. West Infidel Father II. xi. 4 His malapropos answers indicated that one important subject engrossed his thoughts. 1894 H. Nisbet Bush Girl's Rom. 41 Feeling very bitter..towards this intruder for coming at such a mal-à-propos moment. |
C. n. Something inopportune or inappropriate.
| 1868 Bain Ment. & Mor. Sci. 488 Aristotle is happily unembroiled with the modern controversy. The mal-apropos of ‘Freedom’ had not been applied to voluntary action. |