improprietyn.1
/ɪmprəʊˈprʌɪɪti/ 1. The quality of being improper.
a. Want of accordance with the nature of the thing, or with reason or rule; incorrectness, erroneousness, inaccuracy.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > lack of truth, falsity > [noun]
falseness1303
falselekea1350
untrothc1386
falsehooda1400
untruth1439
mensongec1450
fallax1530
falsity1579
fallacy1590
impropriety1611
improperness1612
wrongc1620
fallaciousness1644
fallacity1648
untrueness1652
unsubstantiality1838
unsubstantialness1860
incorrectitude1898
1611 J. Florio Queen Anna's New World of Words Improprieta, improprietie.
1612 J. Selden in M. Drayton Poly-olbion ii. Illustr. 35 The plaine truth (as wordes may certifie your eyes, sauing all impropriety of obiect) is, that in the Poole are seated three Isles.
1646 Sir T. Browne Pseudodoxia Epidemica iii. iv. 114 Then which words there can be none plainer, nor more evidently discover the improprietie of this appellation. View more context for this quotation
1776 A. Smith Inq. Wealth of Nations II. iv. viii. 272 The following observations may serve to show the impropriety of this representation. View more context for this quotation
1843 J. S. Mill Syst. Logic I. i. ii. §4 We may therefore say, without impropriety, that the quality forms part of its signification.
b. Want of accordance with the purpose in view; unsuitableness, unfitness, inappropriateness.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > wrongdoing > unfittingness > [noun]
unconablenessa1340
unconabletya1340
unlikelinessa1413
ungrace1430
disconveniencec1450
wangrace1513
uncomeliness1542
improperty1555
unproperness1561
unmeetness1574
unhandsomeness1598
unbeseemingness1623
unbecomingness1652
impropriety1697
indecence1714
paw-pawness1828
unadaptedness1846
unbefittingness1865
the world > relative properties > order > disorder > disharmony or incongruity > unsuitability or inappropriateness > [noun]
inconvenience1413
uncompetence?1541
unaptness1548
improperty1555
unaptness1557
unproperness1561
impertinency1573
unmeetness1574
disagreement1580
unfitnessa1586
unsuitablenessa1586
incongruity1597
inconvenientness1600
improperness1612
indispositiona1613
insuitability1612
ineptitude1615
impertinence1616
inconcinnity1616
infelicity1617
unbeseemingness1623
ineptness1633
impertinentness1645
incompatibility1659
incompetibilitya1660
disaccommodationa1676
indecorousness1681
indisposednessa1684
inaptitudea1688
impropriety1697
wrongness1726
ineligibility1795
inaptness1814
unsuitability1814
unappropriateness1838
unadaptedness1846
inappropriateness1847
unfittingness1861
unbefittingness1865
ineligibleness1881
1697 N. Luttrell Diary in Brief Hist. Relation State Affairs (1857) IV. 316 There appeared near 20 of the colledge of physitians to shew the impropriety of the medicine.
1774 C. J. Phipps Voy. N. Pole 212 The impropriety of the common process of distillation.
1871 B. Jowett tr. Plato Dialogues I. 224 The impropriety of holding a public discussion with such men.
c. Want of accordance with good manners or decorum; unbecomingness, unseemliness, indecency; morally improper conduct.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > unseemliness or unbecomingness > [noun]
unseemlinessc1380
indecency1589
undecency1589
unbecomingness1652
indecorum1664
indecence1714
impropriety1751
indecorousness1811
society > morality > dueness or propriety > moral impropriety > [noun]
unconablenessa1340
unseemlinessc1380
ungrace1430
disconveniencec1450
unlikelinessc1485
wangrace1513
unseemingness1540
uncomeliness1542
indecency1589
undecency1589
unhandsomeness1598
unbeseemingness1623
misbecomingness1644
unbecomingness1652
indecorum1664
indecence1714
impropriety1751
indecorousness1811
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > [noun] > improper behaviour
unskillc1175
unkina1200
unthriftc1374
inconveniencec1460
mal-behaviour1721
impropriety1751
paw-pawness1828
society > morality > moral evil > licentiousness > moral or spiritual impurity > indecency > [noun]
inhonesty1481
scandal1622
nastiness1650
fulsomeness1684
indecency1692
impropriety1751
blue1824
paw-pawness1828
blueness1833
gaminess1854
suggestiveness1888
purple1930
1751 S. Johnson Rambler No. 174. ⁋13 I was convinced..of the impropriety of my conduct.
1828 W. Scott Fair Maid of Perth ix, in Chron. Canongate 2nd Ser. I. 230 The license and impropriety of the Duke of Rothsay's conduct was the more reprehensible in the public view, that he was a married person.
1884 Law Times Rep. 51 247/2 The defendants obtained the property by misconduct, fraud, and impropriety.
2. with an and plural. An instance of improper language, conduct, etc.; a breach of propriety.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > attention and judgement > bad taste > unseemliness or unbecomingness > [noun] > instance of
indecorum1575
undecency1624
indecency1639
evagation1649
impropriety1685
sin1780
the world > action or operation > behaviour > bad behaviour > [noun] > improper behaviour > instance of
impropriety1685
the mind > mental capacity > knowledge > conformity with what is known, truth > disregard for truth, falsehood > inaccuracy, inexactness > incorrectness of language > [noun] > instance of
scape1565
solecism1577
solœcophanes1583
slip1620
cacemphaton1622
acyrological1623
impropriety1685
incorrectnessa1771
Kiplingism1803
ingrammaticism1888
society > morality > dueness or propriety > moral impropriety > [noun] > instance of
unconabletya1340
indecorum1575
undecency1624
sin1780
impropriety1831
1685 E. Stillingfleet Origines Britannicæ v. 283 We are not bound to follow any modern Writers in their Improprieties.
1704 Clarendon's Hist. Rebellion III. xiv. 399 They had made themselves merry with some improprieties in the French.
1755 S. Johnson Dict. Eng. Lang. Pref. ⁋6 Every language has likewise its improprieties and absurdities, which it is the duty of the lexicographer to correct or proscribe.
1831 T. Carlyle Note Bk. 17 Nov. in J. A. Froude T. Carlyle: First Forty Years (1882) II. x. 229 How often do we find a conduct defaced by many a moral impropriety!
1888 J. Inglis Tent Life Tigerland 185 Guilty of some terrible impropriety.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online December 2018).
improprietyn.2
in Strype, by a misreading of impropriate, apparently after propriety = property.
Π
1721 J. Strype Eccl. Memorials III. xxxiv. 268 Rectories, parsonages, benefices, improprieties, glebe-lands, tithes. (The original document has ‘Beneficis impropryate’: see impropriate ppl. a. 2, quot. 1555.)
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1899; most recently modified version published online March 2018).
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