Collins English-English Dictionary

proper ['prɒpə]

1. 1. adj [usually prenominal] appropriate or suited for some purpose

   in its proper place

2. 2. adj correct in behaviour or conduct

3. 3. adj excessively correct in conduct; vigorously moral

4. 4. adj up to a required or regular standard

5. 5. adj [immediately postpositive] (of an object, quality, etc) referred to or named specifically so as to exclude anything not directly connected with it

   his claim is connected with the deed proper

6. 6. adj [postpositive; foll by to] belonging to or characteristic of a person or thing

7. 7. adj [prenominal] [Brit] [Spoken] (intensifier)

   I felt a proper fool

8. 8. adj [usually postpositive] (of heraldic colours) considered correct for the natural colour of the object or emblem depicted

   three martlets proper

9. 9. adj [maths] [logic] (of a relation) distinguished from a weaker relation by excluding the case where the relata are identical. For example, every set is a subset of itself, but a proper subset must exclude at least one member of the containing set - See also strict

10. 10. adj [Archaic] pleasant or good

11. 11. adv [Brit] [Dialect] (intensifier)

    he's proper stupid

12. 12. n the parts of the Mass that vary according to the particular day or feast on which the Mass is celebrated - Compare ordinary

13. 13. n [Etymology] C13: via Old French from Latin proprius special