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4 definitions found
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Improper \Im*prop"er\, a. [F. impropre, L. improprius; pref. im-
not + proprius proper. See Proper.]
1. Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances,
design, or end; unfit; not becoming; incongruous;
inappropriate; indecent; as, an improper medicine;
improper thought, behavior, language, dress.
[1913 Webster]
Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service,
Improper for a slave. --Shak.
[1913 Webster]
And to their proper operation still,
Ascribe all Good; to their improper, Ill. --Pope.
[1913 Webster]
2. Not peculiar or appropriate to individuals; general;
common. [Obs.]
[1913 Webster]
Not to be adorned with any art but such improper
ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and
poetry. --J. Fletcher.
[1913 Webster]
3. Not according to facts; inaccurate; erroneous.
[1913 Webster]
Improper diphthong. See under Diphthong.
Improper feud, an original feud, not earned by military
service. --Mozley & W.
Improper fraction. See under Fraction.
[1913 Webster]
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.44 : [ gcide ]
Diphthong \Diph"thong\ (?; 115, 277), n. [L. diphthongus, Gr. ?;
di- = di`s- twice + ? voice, sound, fr. ? to utter a sound:
cf. F. diphthongue.] (Ortho["e]py)
(a) A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in
one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; -- called a
proper diphthong.
(b) A vowel digraph; a union of two vowels in the same
syllable, only one of them being sounded; as, ai in
rain, eo in people; -- called an improper diphthong.
[1913 Webster]
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Diphthong \Diph"thong\ (?; 115, 277), n. [L. diphthongus, Gr. ?;
di- = di`s- twice + ? voice, sound, fr. ? to utter a sound:
cf. F. diphthongue.] (Ortho["e]py)
(a) A coalition or union of two vowel sounds pronounced in
one syllable; as, ou in out, oi in noise; -- called a
proper diphthong.
(b) A vowel digraph; a union of two vowels in the same
syllable, only one of them being sounded; as, ai in
rain, eo in people; -- called an improper diphthong.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) : [ web1913 ]
Improper \Im*prop"er\, a. [F. impropre, L. improprius; pref. im-
not + proprius proper. See Proper.]
1. Not proper; not suitable; not fitted to the circumstances,
design, or end; unfit; not becoming; incongruous;
inappropriate; indecent; as, an improper medicine;
improper thought, behavior, language, dress.
Follow'd his enemy king, and did him service,
Improper for a slave. --Shak.
And to their proper operation still, Ascribe all
Good; to their improper, Ill. --Pope.
2. Not peculiar or appropriate to individuals; general;
common. [Obs.]
Not to be adorned with any art but such improper
ones as nature is said to bestow, as singing and
poetry. --J. Fletcher.
3. Not according to facts; inaccurate; erroneous.
Improper diphthong. See under Diphthong.
Improper feud, an original feud, not earned by military
service. --Mozley & W.
Improper fraction. See under Fraction.
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