Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • To appropriate for one's own or other private use; appropriate.
  • In English ecclesiastical law, to place in the hands of a layman, for care and disbursement, the profits or revenue of; devolve upon a layman or lay corporation.
  • To practise impropriation; become an impropriator.
  • Appropriated to private use.
  • In English ecclesiastical law, devolved into the hands of a layman.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adjective (Eng. Eccl. Law) Put into the hands of a layman; impropriated.
  • transitive verb obsolete To appropriate to one's self; to assume.
  • transitive verb (Eng. Eccl. Law) To place the profits of (ecclesiastical property) in the hands of a layman for care and disbursement.
  • intransitive verb rare To become an impropriator.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • verb obsolete to appropriate.
  • verb In ecclesiastical law to place ecclesiastical property under control or management of a layperson.

Etymologies

Sorry, no etymologies found.

Support

Help support Wordnik (and make this page ad-free) by adopting the word impropriate.

Examples

  • Republican front-runner, Senator McCain, today ripped "The New York Times" after the paper reported he had an impropriate relationship with a lobbyist.

    CNN Transcript Feb 21, 2008 2008

  • Of the same kind it is also when any but the sovereign restraineth in any man that power which the Commonwealth hath not restrained; as they do that impropriate the preaching of the gospel to one certain order of men, where the laws have left it free.

    Leviathan 2007

  • But that honor, perhaps were not fit for monarchies; except it be in the person of the monarch himself, or his sons; as it came to pass in the times of the Roman emperors, who did impropriate the actual triumphs to themselves, and their sons, for such wars as they did achieve in person; and left only, for wars achieved by subjects, some triumphal garments and ensigns to the general.

    The Essays 2007

  • Poverty was most strictly observed; the rule forbade the possession of lands, cattle, revenue, or impropriate churches.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 6: Fathers of the Church-Gregory XI 1840-1916 1913

  • Thus as early as 1102 the Council of Westminster laid down the principle that monasteries were not to impropriate churches without the consent of the bishop, and required that churches should not be stripped so bare of revenue as to reduce the priests who served them to penury.

    The Catholic Encyclopedia, Volume 5: Diocese-Fathers of Mercy 1840-1916 1913

  • But that honor perhaps were not fit for monarchies; except it be in the person of the monarch himself, or his sons; as it came to pass in the times of the Roman emperors, who did impropriate the actual triumphs to themselves and their sons, for such wars as they did achieve in person; and left only, for wars achieved by subjects, some triumphal garments and ensigns to the general.

    XXIX. Of the True Greatness of Kingdoms and Estates 1909

  • The poor vicars never got back a bit of the impropriate tithes; the seats of learning got comparatively little.

    Two Suffolk Friends Francis Hindes Groome 1876

  • Of the same kind it is also when any but the sovereign restraineth in any man that power which the Commonwealth hath not restrained; as they do that impropriate the preaching of the gospel to one certain order of men, where the laws have left it free.

    Leviathan, or, The matter, forme, & power of a common-wealth ecclesiasticall and civill 1651

  • Of the same kind it is also, when any but the Soveraign restraineth in any man that power which the Common-wealth hath not restrained: as they do, that impropriate the Preaching of the Gospell to one certain Order of men, where the Laws have left it free.

    Leviathan Thomas Hobbes 1633

  • Physical contact is considered impropriate in most cases, though, especially between those of different social status, explains Assoc Prof Parichart Sthapitanonda, PhD, deputy dean of Chulalongkorn University's Graduate School.

    Bangkokpost.com : Breaking News 2009

Comments

Log in or sign up to get involved in the conversation. It's quick and easy.