Forms: 4 naperonn, 5 naprun(e, -onne, napperone, 5–6 napron, 6 aprone, -eren, -arne, ap(p)urn, 6–7 aperne, 5– apron. [a. OF. naperon (mod.F. napperon), dim. of nape, nappe, table-cloth:—L. mappa table-napkin. The change of L. m to F. n is also seen in matta, natte, mespilum, nèfle; the med.L. instances of napa, nappa for mappa are prob. f. French. In Eng., initial n has been lost by corruption of a napron to an apron. See A adj.2]
1. An article of dress, originally of linen, but now also of stuff, leather, or other material, worn in front of the body, to protect the clothes from dirt or injury, or simply as a covering.
1307. in Whitaker’s Craven, in Beck, Drapers’ Dict., s.v., Pro linen tela ad naperonns.
c. 1400. Beryn, Prol. 33. With hir napron feir … She wypid sofft hir eyen.
c. 1440. Promp. Parv., Naprun (or barmclothe), Limas.
1466. Paston Lett., 549, II. 268. For ii. napronnes … xd.
1461–83. Ord. Roy. Househ., 36. Lynnen clothe for aprons. Ibid., 52. Naprons of the grete spycery.
1535. Coverdale, Gen. iii. 7. They … sowed fygge leaues together, and made them apurns [1611 aprons; Wyclif brechis].
1542. Richmond. Wills (1853), 27. Nappery ware, as kyrcherys, appurnys, blankytts.
1569. Wills & Inv. N. C. (1835), 305. A Napron of worsted.
1598. Stow, Survay, xii. (1603), 103. Bill men in Almaine Riuets, and Apernes of Mayle.
1601. Shaks., Jul. C., I. i. 7. Where is thy Leather Apron, and thy Rule?
1750. H. Walpole, Corr., 221. II. 370. He would not be waited on by drawers in brown frocks and blue aprons.
1822. Scott, Nigel, iii. A green apron, and a red petticoat.
2. A similar garment worn as part of a distinctive official dress, as by bishops, deans, Freemasons, etc.
1704. Lond. Gaz., mmmmxxix/4. Had a black Silk Hood on, a painted Linen Apron.
1859. Helps, Friends in C., Ser. II. I. i. 50. Never be a bishop, nor even wear the lesser apron of a dean.
b. Green apron: a lay preacher (contemptuous).
1654. Warren, Unbelievers, 145. It more befits a Green-apron-Preacher, than such a Gamaliel.
1705. Hickeringill, Priest-cr., I. (1721), 21. Unbeneficed Noncons (that live by Alms, and no Paternoster no Penny, say the Green Aprons).
[1765. Tucker, Lt. Nat., II. 451. The gifted priestess among the Quakers is known by her green apron.]
3. Anything that resembles an apron in shape or function, esp. the leather covering for the legs in a gig or other open carriage.
1875. B. Taylor, Faust, I. iii. II. 50. The merest apron of leaf and bough.
1879. Sala, in Daily Tel., 9 June, 5/4. A corresponding movement of his hinder heels in the direction of the cab-apron.
1883. Punch, 10 Nov., 226. I … am tightly trapped and buckled within a leather apron [of a bath-chair].
4. Also in many technical uses: a. At the bottom of a sluice or entrance to a dock: A platform placed so as to intercept the fall of water, and prevent the washing away of the bottom. b. in Gunnery, A square piece of lead laid over the touch-hole. c. in Ship-building (see quot. 1850). d. in Plumbing, A strip of lead that conducts the drip of a wall into a gutter. e. in Electr. (see quot. 1869); f. in Mech. The piece that holds the cutting tool in a planing machine.
1719. Glossogr. Nova, Apron is a piece of Lead which laps over or covers the Touch-hole of a great Gun.
1721. Perry, Daggenh. Breach, 24. The fixing of the Apron of the Sluice to the depth as before observ’d.
1842. Loudon, Encycl. Farm., § 935. The aprons [of lead] round the chimney-stalks.
c. 1850. Rudim. Nav. (Weale), 92. Apron, a kind of false or inner stem, fayed on the aftside of the stem, from the head down to the dead-wood, in order to strengthen it.
1862. F. Griffiths, Artill. Man., 230. The 2nd captain … attends the apron.
1867. F. Francis, Angling, iv. (1880), 140. Under the apron of Hampton Court weir.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Apron of a dock, the platform rising where the gates are closed, and on which the sill is fastened down.
1869. Eng. Mech., 24 Dec., 346/1. The electricity, as it is developed on the glass by the friction of the rubbers, is carried over by a kind of sheath, technically called the apron.
5. ‘The caul of a hog.’ Halliw. Apron of a roast goose or duck: the skin covering the belly, which is cut to get at the stuffing.
1755. in Johnson.
1855. Mrs. Rundell, Dom. Cookery, Introd. 50. Cut off the apron in the circular line a, b, c.
6. Comb. and Attrib., as apron husband, one who meddles with his wife’s business; apron-lining, the cover of the apron-piece; † apron-man, a mechanic; an ‘aproner’; apron-piece, a small piece of timber supporting the joists under the landing-place in a stair; † apron-rogue, a workman, mechanic; apron-squire = APPLE-SQUIRE. Also apron-like; and APRON-STRING, q.v.
1611. Middleton & Dekker, Roar. Girl, Wks. 1873, 177. I cannot abide these aperne husbands: such cotqueanes.
1607. Shaks., Cor., IV. vi. 96. You haue made good worke, You and your Apron men.
1658. Cleveland, Rustic Ramp., Wks. 1687, 429. Apron-men and Plough-joggers.
1663. Killegrew, Parson’s Wed., in Dodsley (1780), XI. 382. Apron-rogues with horn hands.
1593. Nashe, Christ’s Teares, 83 b. They will … play the Brokers, Baudes, Apron-squires, Pandars, or any thing.
1859. Todd, Cycl. Anat. & Phys., V. 326/2. The … apron-like fold that covers the greater part of the intestinal canal.
