proper

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English Vietnamese dictionary

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Advanced English dictionary

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+ adjective
1 [only before noun] (especially BrE) right, appropriate or correct; according to the rules: We should have had a proper discussion before voting. + Please follow the proper procedures for dealing with complaints. + Nothing is in its proper place.
2 [only before noun] (BrE, spoken) that you consider to be real and satisfactory: Eat some proper food, not just toast and jam! + When are you going to get a proper job?
3 socially and morally acceptable: It is right and proper that parents take responsibility for their children's attendance at school. + The development was planned without proper regard to the interests of local people. + He is always perfectly proper in his behaviour.
Antonym: IMPROPER
See also - PROPRIETY
4 [after noun] according to the most exact meaning of the word: The celebrations proper always begin on the last stroke of midnight.
5 [only before noun] (BrE, spoken) complete: We're in a proper mess now.
6 ~ to sth (formal) belonging to a particular type of thing; natural in a particular situation or place: They should be treated with the dignity proper to all individuals created by God.
Idioms: good and proper (BrE, spoken) completely; thoroughly: That's messed things up good and proper.

Thesaurus dictionary

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adj.

1 right, appropriate, apropos, apt, suitable, fit, fitting, befitting, becoming, suited, apposite, de rigueur, comme il faut, adapted, Literary meet:

Is this the proper time to ask for a salary increase?

2 correct, accurate, exact, right, precise, orthodox, formal, expected, normal, usual, accepted, established, Old-fashioned Brit tickety-boo:

Some insist that the only proper way to pronounce 'controversy' is with the stress on the first syllable

3 decorous, dignified, genteel, fitting, right, de rigueur, appropriate, becoming, suitable, decent, seemly, due, correct, apt, comme il faut, conformist; gentlemanly, ladylike, polite, refined, punctilious, respectable:

Jeans are not proper attire for dinner at La Hacienda. Do you call that proper behaviour for the president of a learned society?

4 fitting, suitable, correct, right, satisfactory, good, sensible:

The kitchen is a proper place for the dishwasher, not the garage. Proper nutrition is very important

5 complete, perfect, utter, thorough, thoroughgoing, out-and-out, unmitigated:

He felt a proper fool for having locked his keys inside his car.

6 own, individual, separate, distinct, correct, specific, special, particular, respective; characteristic, distinctive, peculiar, singular, unique:

When you have finished, return each book to its proper place.

quasi-adv.

7 strictly speaking or so-called, in the strict(est) or narrow(est) sense, only, solely, alone, on (its or someone's) own:

Does the deed refer only to the house proper or are the outbuildings also included?

Collocation dictionary

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VERBS

be, seem

It seemed proper to pay tribute to her in this way.

| consider sth, deem sth, think sth

It was not considered proper for young ladies to go out alone.

ADV.

very | entirely, perfectly, quite

The tribunal decided that his behaviour was perfectly proper.

PHRASES

(only) right and proper

It is only right and proper that you should attend his funeral.

Concise English dictionary

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'prɑpə(r) /'prɒ-
adj.
+marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness
+limited to the thing specified
+appropriate for a condition or purpose or occasion or a person's character, needs
+having all the qualities typical of the thing specified