▪ I. improper, a.
(ɪmˈprɒpə(r))
[f. im-2 + proper; after F. impropre (1372 in Hatz.-Darm.), L. improprius.]
Not proper; the opposite of proper.
1. Not truly or strictly belonging to the thing under consideration; not in accordance with truth, fact, reason, or rule; abnormal, irregular; incorrect, inaccurate, erroneous, wrong.
Formerly sometimes without implication of blame or censure, e.g. said of a meaning given to a word which is not the ‘proper’ or literal one, but metaphorical.
| 1531 [implied in improperly]. 1552 Huloet, Improper, improprius, abusiuus. 1581 Marbeck Bk. of Notes 877 When the Scripture saith, that the Lord God is unchaungeable, it is a proper speach, because he is so of his owne nature..When it sayth: Hee went down to see the Tower of Babel, then it is an improper speach. 1649 Roberts Clavis Bibl. Introd. iii. 42 To eate Christs flesh—to pluck out our right eye..We cannot read any of these literally and properly..therefore we must seek for a spiritual and improper sense. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. iii. xxxiii. 201 Which to have said in the time of Joshua had been improper. 1701 tr. Le Clerc's Prim. Fathers (1702) 87 Of which one can only speak in metaphorical and improper Language. 1780 Burke Sp. Bristol previous to Elect. Wks. III. 362 It is not lest you should censure me improperly, but lest you should form improper opinions on matters of some moment to you, that I trouble you at all upon the subject. 1870 Tyndall Lect. Electr. R. Instit. 14 The conductors were called non-electrics, because they could not be so electrified. The division is improper, because if a conductor be insulated it can readily be electrified. |
b. Not properly so called; improper fraction: a fraction whose numerator is greater than (or equal to) its denominator, and whose value is therefore greater than (or equal to) unity. (Formerly applied to analogous fractions in Algebra.) improper diphthong: see quot. 1824.
| 1542 Recorde Gr. Artes (1575) 340 An Improper Fraction..that is to saye, a fraction in forme, which in dede is greater than an Unit. 1610 Fletcher Faithf. Shepherdess To Rdr., They [shepherds and shepherdesses in a Pastoral] are not to be adorned with any art but such improper ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and poetry. 1674 S. Jeake Arith. (1696) 44 Improper Fractions have alwayes the Numerator greater than the Denominator. 1806 Hutton Course Math. I. 187 To Reduce an Improper Fraction to a Whole or Mixed Quantity. 1824 L. Murray Eng. Gram. (ed. 5) I. 36 An improper diphthong has but one of the vowels sounded: as, ea in eagle, oa in boat. |
2. Not in accordance with the nature of the case or the purpose in view; unsuitable, unfit, inappropriate, ill-adapted.
| 1570 Dee Math. Pref. 33 Rather, then, either to want a name, or to haue to base and impropre a name. 1601 R. Johnson Kingd. & Commw. (1603) 90 The Hungarish horse by nature are not improper for war, being couragious, strong. 1665 Boyle Occas. Refl. iv. xiii. (1848) 248 A Plain being a very improper place for such a purpose. 1702 Addison Dial. Medals ii. Misc. Wks. 1726 III. 52 [The quotation] is not improper to the occasion. 1774 C. J. Phipps Voy. N. Pole 50 As improper to be approached as a rocky lee shore. 1800 tr. Lagrange's Chem. I. 56 Hydrogen gas is improper for respiration. |
3. Not in accordance with good manners, modesty, or decorum; unbecoming, unseemly; indecorous, indecent. Also transf. of a person.
| 1739 Chesterfield Lett. (1792) I. xxxi. 108 It would be very improper and indecent if you were to fly your kite or play at nine-pins while you are with Mr. Maittaire. 1776 Trial of Nundocomar 106/2 It would be highly improper that their books should be wantonly subjected to curious and impertinent eyes. 1791 [see improper v.2]. 1849 James Woodman ii, It never occurred to her that there was any⁓thing improper in having them there. 1852 Mrs. Carlyle Lett. II. 177, I see single women besides myself at Verey's—not improper—governesses, and the like. |
† 4. ? Not proper or peculiar to an individual; general, common. Obs. rare.
[Quot. 1610 in 1 b is taken in this sense in recent Dicts.]
▪ II. † improper, v.1 Obs.
Forms: 4–5 enpropre, -per, 6 empropre, -per, 6–7 impropre, 5–7 improper. See also impropry.
[ME. en-, empropre, app. repr. an AFr. *enproprier, a variant (with change of prefix) of OF. aproprier, ad. L. appropriāre to appropriate. (No OF. emproprier or improprier is recorded, and the med. or mod.L. impropriāre is cited by Du Cange only from English documents, and is presumably a latinization of the AFr. or Eng. word, though, in form, immediately f. L. in (in-2) into + propri-us own, private.) In Eng. apropre, appropre, was in earlier use, app. with the same sense. The variant impropry corresponds to apropry.]
1. trans. To assign as a proper or private possession, to appropriate; = impropriate v. 1.
| c 1380 Wyclif Wks. (1880) 81 But boþe þes ben enproprid to god. 1486 Bk. St. Albans, Her. B ij, That is to hym improperid bi lawe of armys. 1494 Fabyan Chron. vii. 441 He also had enproperyd vnto hym dyuerse wardys belongynge to the Kynge. 1526 Pilgr. Perf. (W. de W. 1531) 152 Persones..whose lyfe is aboue other impropered to contemplacyon. 1557 North Gueuara's Diall Pr. 82 a, He that empropereth to him selfe that, whiche oughte to be common to al, is to be blamed of god, and hated of men. 1565 Jewel Repl. Harding (1611) 383 If he would in like maner improper, and inclose the Sun beames, to comfort the rich. 1642 [? Bp. Hall] Mod. Confut. Animadv. iii. 6, I have alwayes resolved that neither person nor cause shall improper me, further than they are good. [Cf. Milton Apol. Sm. iii.] |
2. Eccl. Law. = impropriate v. 2.
| 1528 Lett. Suppress. Monast. (Camden) 2 To unite, annex, and improper the same unto the church of Saint Peters in Ipiswiche. 1529 More Suppl. Soulys Wks. 333/1 Many an abbey..haue the great parte therof in benefices geuen in and empropred vnto them. 1545 Brinklow Compl. 27 b, Parsonages and vicarages, which were..impropryd vnto them. 1601 F. Godwin Bps. of Eng. 304 He impropred vnto our church the parsonage of Buckland Abbatis. |
▪ III. † improper, v.2 Obs. nonce-wd.
[f. improper a.]
intr. To behave improperly.
| 1791 H. Walpole Corr. (1837) III. 438, I am too old to be improper and you are too modest to be impropered to. |