proper

prop|er [ `prapər ] adjective **

▸ 1 appropriate

▸ 2 moral

▸ 3 considered real/serious

▸ 4 behaving politely

▸ 5 in its most exact sense

▸ 6 complete in every detail

▸ 7 of particular type

1. ) only before noun appropriate for the purpose or situation:

You have to have the proper tools for the job.

That's not the proper way to do it!

proper procedures: Councilors went against their own officers and ignored proper procedures.

2. ) considered to be morally good:

I don't think it would be proper for me to say any more.

I'm sure you will all agree that this is the only proper course of action.

right and proper: It's only right and proper that his family should be present.

3. ) MAINLY BRITISH considered to be real or serious:

When are you going to get a proper job?

He needs proper medical care.

4. ) behaving in a manner that most people would consider correct and polite:

Young people then were all terribly proper.

a ) behaving in a way that is so polite that makes other people annoyed or uncomfortable:

He's always so prim and proper.

5. ) never before noun understood in its most exact meaning:

Does he live in Chicago proper or in the suburbs?

6. ) MAINLY BRITISH INFORMAL complete in every detail:

He's only six, but he's already a proper little gentleman.

7. ) proper to FORMAL belonging to a particular type of thing:

a style of architecture proper to the period