improper

Related to improper: improperly, In proper, improper fractions

im·prop·er

(ĭm-prŏp′ər)

adj.

1. Not suited to circumstances or needs; unsuitable: improper shoes for a hike; improper medical treatment.

2. Not in keeping with conventional mores; indecorous: improper behavior; an improper suggestion. See Synonyms at unseemly.

3. Not consistent with established truth, fact, or rule; incorrect: improper grammar; an improper conclusion.

4. Irregular or abnormal: complications due to improper functioning of the immune system.

im·prop′er·ly adv.

im·prop′er·ness n.

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

improper

(ɪmˈprɒpə)

adj

1. lacking propriety; not seemly or fitting

2. unsuitable for a certain use or occasion; inappropriate: an improper use for a tool.

3. irregular or abnormal

imˈproperly adv

imˈproperness n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

im•prop•er

(ɪmˈprɒp ər)

adj.

1. not proper; not strictly belonging, applicable, or correct: drew improper conclusions.

2. not in accordance with propriety or regulations: improper conduct.

3. abnormal; irregular.

[1535–45; < Latin]

im•prop′er•ly, adv.

im•prop′er•ness, n.

syn: improper, indecent, unbecoming, unseemly are applied to that which is inappropriate or not in accordance with propriety. improper has a wide range, being applied to whatever is not suitable or fitting, and often specifically to what does not conform to the standards of conventional morality: an improper diet; improper clothes; improper behavior in church. indecent, a strong word, is applied to what is offensively contrary to standards of propriety and esp. of modesty: indecent photographs. unbecoming is applied to what is especially unfitting in the person concerned: conduct unbecoming a minister. unseemly is applied to whatever is unfitting or improper under the circumstances: unseemly mirth.

ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:

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Adj.	1.	improper - not suitable or right or appropriate; "slightly improper to dine alone with a married man"; "improper medication"; "improper attire for the golf course" inappropriate - not suitable for a particular occasion etc; "noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness"; "inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach"; "put inappropriate pressure on them" indecent - offensive to good taste especially in sexual matters; "an earthy but not indecent story"; "an indecent gesture" indecorous, indelicate - lacking propriety and good taste in manners and conduct; "indecorous behavior" unfit - below the required standards for a purpose; "an unfit parent"; "unfit for human consumption" wrong - contrary to conscience or morality or law; "it is wrong for the rich to take advantage of the poor"; "cheating is wrong"; "it is wrong to lie" proper - marked by suitability or rightness or appropriateness; "proper medical treatment"; "proper manners"
	2.	improper - not conforming to legality, moral law, or social convention; "an unconventional marriage"; "improper banking practices" unlawful, unconventional irregular - contrary to rule or accepted order or general practice; "irregular hiring practices"
	3.	improper - not appropriate for a purpose or occasion; "said all the wrong things" wrong inappropriate - not suitable for a particular occasion etc; "noise seems inappropriate at a time of sadness"; "inappropriate shoes for a walk on the beach"; "put inappropriate pressure on them"

improper

adjective

1. inappropriate, unfit, unsuitable, out of place, unwarranted, incongruous, unsuited, ill-timed, uncalled-for, inopportune, inapplicable, unseasonable, inapt, infelicitous, inapposite, malapropos He maintained that he had done nothing improper.
inappropriate appropriate, suitable, apt, apposite, opportune, felicitous

2. indecent, vulgar, suggestive, unseemly, untoward, risqué, smutty, unbecoming, unfitting, impolite, off-colour, indelicate, indecorous He would never be improper; he is always the perfect gentleman.
indecent decent, becoming, seemly, fitting, proper, delicate, decorous

3. incorrect, wrong, inaccurate, false, irregular, erroneous The improper use of medicine can lead to severe adverse reactions.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

improper

adjective

1. Not suited to circumstances:

inappropriate, inapt, incongruous, inept, malapropos, unapt, unbecoming, unbefitting, unfit, unseemly, unsuitable.

Idiom: out of place.

2. Not in keeping with conventional mores:

immodest, indecent, indecorous, indelicate, naughty, unbecoming, unbefitting, unseemly, untoward.

Idiom: out of line.

Translations

غَيْر لائِق، غير ملائِم

neslušnýnevhodný

upassende

unangemessenuneigentlichunpassend

indebido

déplacé

óviîeigandi; dónalegur

improprio rude impropriet...

neprideramasnetaisyklingoji trupmenanetinkamasnetinkamumas

nepiedienīgsnepieklājīgsnepiemērots

upassende urettmessig uriktig usømmelig feilaktig

uygunsuz

不合适的不得体的不适当的

improper

[ɪmˈprɒpəʳ] ADJ

1. (= unseemly) [behaviour, laughter] → indecoroso, impropio

2. (= indecent) [remark] → indecoroso; [suggestion] → deshonesto

3. (= incorrect) [use] → indebido

4. (= illicit) [dealings] → deshonesto

Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

improper

[ˌɪmˈprɒpə^r] adj

[use] → impropre, incorrect(e)
improper use of this medicine → l'usage impropre de ce médicament, l'usage incorrect de ce médicament

(= against the rules) [action, dealings] → inapproprié(e)
He maintained that he had done nothing improper → Il a maintenu qu'il n'avait rien fait d'inapproprié.

(= inappropriate) → déplacé(e), inapproprié(e)
it would be improper to ... → il serait déplacé de ..., il serait inapproprié de ...
It would be improper to speculate about this → Il serait déplacé de faire des conjectures à ce sujet., Il serait inapproprié de faire des conjectures à ce sujet.

(= unseemly) → incorrect(e), inconvenant(e)
He would never be improper, he is always the perfect gentleman → Jamais il ne se montrerait incorrect, c'est un parfait gentleman., Jamais il ne se montrerait inconvenant, c'est un parfait gentleman.

Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

improper

adj (= unsuitable) → unpassend, unangebracht; (= unseemly) → unschicklich; (= indecent) → unanständig; (= wrong) diagnosis, interpretation → unzutreffend; use → unsachgemäß; (= dishonest) practice → unlauter; (= not professional) conduct → unehrenhaft; it is improper to do that → es gehört sich nicht, das zu tun; improper use of tools → Zweckentfremdung f → von Geräten; improper use of drugs/one’s position → Drogen-/Amtsmissbrauch m

Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

improper

[ɪmˈprɒpəʳ] adj (unseemly, indecent) → sconveniente; (wrong) → scorretto/a; (unsuitable) → improprio/a, inadatto/a

improper

(imˈpropə) adjective

(of behaviour etc) not acceptable; indecent; wrong. improper suggestions.

impropriety (imprəˈpraiəti) noun

improper fraction

a fraction which is larger than 1. 7/5 is an improper fraction.

References in classic literature ?

Alexey Alexandrovitch had seen nothing striking or improper in the fact that his wife was sitting with Vronsky at a table apart, in eager conversation with him about something.

View in context

THE members of the School Board in Doosnoswair being suspected of appointing female teachers for an improper consideration, the people elected a Board composed wholly of women.

View in context

"No," said the Dog; "if I were to accept that, it might be thought that in biting you I was actuated by improper motives."

View in context

She felt all the time that by talking to him she was doing something improper. Anatole smiled as though to encourage her.

View in context

She had, besides, a certain imperfection, which renders some flowers, though very beautiful to the eye, very improper to be placed in a wilderness of sweets, and what above all others is most disagreeable to the breath of love.

View in context

There exists a monition of the Bishop of Durham against irregular churchmen of this class, who associated themselves with Border robbers, and desecrated the holiest offices of the priestly function, by celebrating them for the benefit of thieves, robbers, and murderers, amongst ruins and in caverns of the earth, without regard to canonical form, and with torn and dirty attire, and maimed rites, altogether improper for the occasion.

View in context

Philip remembered that Clutton had spent some months in Toledo, and the journalist's answer made him look at him with more interest; but he felt it would be improper to show this: it was necessary to preserve the distance between the hospital patient and the staff.

View in context

One is apt, I believe, to connect assurance of manner with coquetry, and to expect that an impudent address will naturally attend an impudent mind; at least I was myself prepared for an improper degree of confidence in Lady Susan; but her countenance is absolutely sweet, and her voice and manner winningly mild.

View in context

It is also absurd for those who promote a community of children to forbid those who love each other from indulging themselves in the last excesses of that passion, while they do not restrain them from the passion itself, or those intercourses which are of all things most improper, between a Father and a son, a brother and a brother, and indeed the thing itself is most absurd.

View in context

"I call it highly improper, and no daughter of mine shall wear it."

View in context

They are not AT LIBERTY to vest in the executive department permanent funds for the support of an army, if they were even incautious enough to be willing to repose in it so improper a confidence.

View in context

A very material object of this power was the relief of the States which import and export through other States, from the improper contributions levied on them by the latter.