| proper | |
| 1. adj. Suitable.: | |
| 2. adj. Suited or acceptable to the purpose or circumstances; fit, suitable. | |
| the proper time to plant potatoes | |
| 3. adj. Following the established standards of behavior or manners; correct or decorous. | |
| a very proper young lady | |
| 4. adj. Possessed, related.: | |
| 5. adj. (grammar) Used to designate a particular person, place, or thing. Proper nouns are usually written with an initial capital letter. | |
| 6. adj. Pertaining exclusively to a specific thing or person; particular. | |
| 7. adj. (usually postpositive) In the strict sense; within the strict definition or core (of a specified place, taxonomic order, idea, etc). | |
| 8. adj. (archaic) Belonging to oneself or itself; own. | |
| 9. adj. (heraldry) Portrayed in natural or usual coloration, as opposed to conventional tinctures. | |
| 10. adj. (mathematics) Being strictly part of some other (not necessarily explicitly mentioned, but of definitional importance) thing, and not being the thing i | |
| proper subset — proper ideal - | |
| 11. adj. (mathematics, physics) Eigen-; designating a function or value which is an eigenfunction or eigenvalue. | |
| 12. adj. Accurate, strictly applied.: | |
| 13. adj. Excellent, of high quality; such as the specific person or thing should ideally be. (Now often merged with later senses.) | |
| Now that was a proper breakfast. | |
| 14. adj. (now regional) Attractive, elegant. | |
| 15. adj. (often postpositive) In the very strictest sense of the word. | |
| 16. adj. (now colloquial) Utter, complete. | |
| When I realized I was wearing my shirt inside out, I felt a proper fool. | |
| 17. adv. (colloquial) properly; thoroughly; completely | |
| 18. adv. (nonstandard, colloquial) properly | |
