v. Obs. Forms: α. 4–5 apropre, 4–6 appropre, -yr, 6 appropir, 6–7 approper. Also β. 4 approprie, 4–5 -ye, Pa. pple. 4–7 appropried. [a. OFr. aproprie-r:—late L. appr-, adpropriā-re (c. 450), f. ad to, with idea of ‘rendering’ + propri-us own. Two forms: one (from AFr.) suppressing -i-; the other, used chiefly in pa. pple., preserving -i, -y. Superseded in 17th c. by the Latinized equivalent APPROPRIATE.]
1. To assign as private property or possession to; to set apart for a special purpose; spec. in Eccl. to annex to a religious corporation.
α. 1340. Ayenb., 40. Þe y-halȝede stedes þet byeþ apropred to guodes seruise. Ibid., 41. Ofhyaldeþ mid wrong … þe þinges þet byeþ apropred to holy cherche.
c. 1449. Pecock, Repr., III. xiv. 368. Whanne a parisch chirche is aproprid to an abbey.
1496. Dives & Paup. (W. de W.), IV. vii. 170 a. The lyght of the sonne may not be … appropred to one place more than to an other.
β. 1398. Trevisa, Barth. De P. R., XIV. xlvii. (1495), 484. That manere of felde that hyghte Campus is apropryed to noo man.
1587. Golding, De Mornay, xxi. (1617), 364. A Chapter appropried to the same purpose.
2. To assign or attribute as proper to.
α. 1384. Chaucer, Gentilesse, 18. His vertuous noblesse That is appropred [v.r. enpropred] unto no degree.
a. 1400. Relig. Pieces fr. Thornton MS., 27. Godd þe ffadyre to whaym is appropyrede myghte.
1508. Fisher, Wks., I. 205. But to lye longe and contynue in synne is appropred to the deuyll.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 67. Astrologers approper certain starres to Kings only.
β. 1340. Hampole, Pr. Consc., 8149. Þus salle endles lyfe appropryed be, Tylle þe saved bodyse.
1557. Primer (Sarum), H ij. God to whome it is appropried to be mercifull ever.
1614. Selden, Titles Hon., 265. Capitaneus and Valuasor was also appropried to speciall Dignities beneath a Count.
3. To make one’s own; to take possession of. (Orig. with refl. pron. etc., afterwards absol.)
α. 1366. Maundev., v. 35. Kyngdomes that he hath conquered and apropred to him be strengthe.
c. 1400. Destr. Troy, XXX. 12193. I haue aproprid to oure partis prouyns besyde.
1502. Arnold, Chron., 276. Whether ony executor … appropir ony thing of the goodis of the deed man.
β. 1474. Caxton, Chesse, 77. To kepe them from appropryyng to them self that thyng that aperteyneth to the comyn.
