Wiktionary

prop

See also: PROP, Prop., and prop-

English

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Pronunciation

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Etymology 1

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From Middle English proppe (“a prop, support, support for a vine or plant”), from Middle Dutch proppe (“support, support for a vine, stopper for a bottle”). Compare Middle Low German proppe (“plug, stopper”), German Pfropfen (“plug”), Danish prop (“plug, stopper”). (This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium. Particularly: “Also, is the rugby sense from this etymology, from the other, or from a third?”)

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. An object placed against or under another, to support it; anything that supports.
    They stuck a block of wood under it as a prop.
  2. (rugby) The player on either side of the hooker in a scrum.
  3. Any of the seashells in the game of props.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Verb

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prop (third-person singular simple present props, present participle propping, simple past and past participle propped)

  1. (transitive, sometimes figurative) To support or shore up something.
    Try using a phone book to prop up the table where the foot is missing.
  2. (intransitive) To play rugby in the prop position.
  3. (transitive, usually with "up" - see prop up) To position the feet of (a person) while sitting, lying down, or reclining so that the knees are elevated at a higher level.
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 2

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Clipping of property.

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. (theater, film) An item placed on a stage or set to create a scene or scenario in which actors perform.
    They used the trophy as a prop in the movie.
  2. An item placed within an advertisement in order to suggest a style of living etc.
    • 2006, Michael Grecco, Lighting and the Dramatic Portrait, Amphoto Books, →ISBN, page 109:
      You can use props in a literal way to enhance the story, such as shooting a woodworker amidst woodworking tools.
Usage notes
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  • In stagecraft, usually the term prop is reserved for an object with which an actor or performer interacts, such as a glass, a book, or a weapon. Larger items adding to the scene, such as chairs, are considered part of the set.
  • Props are often non-functional. A prop that is required to function is a "practical" prop, or simply a "practical".
    • When used like an adjective (prop sword, prop gun) the implication is that it is non-functional
Derived terms
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Translations
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Etymology 3

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Clipping of propeller.

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. The propeller of an aircraft or boat.
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Translations
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Verb

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prop (third-person singular simple present props, present participle propping, simple past and past participle propped)

  1. To manually start the engine of a propeller-driven aircraft with no electric starter by pulling vigorously on one of the propeller blades using the hands, so that the propeller can catch ignition.
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Etymology 4

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Clipping of proposition.

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. A proposition, especially on an election-day ballot.

Etymology 5

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Clipping of propellant.

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. (astronautics) propellant (“rocket fuel”)
Derived terms
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Etymology 6

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Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. (gambling, informal) Short for proposition player.

Etymology 7

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Clipping of propagation.

Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. (Internet slang) A part of a plant reared for its multiplication.
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Etymology 8

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Clipping of testosterone propionate.

Noun

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prop (uncountable)

  1. (bodybuilding slang) Testosterone propionate.
    Synonym: test prop

Etymology 9

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Noun

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prop (plural props)

  1. (obsolete, slang) A blow; the act of striking someone.
    • 1899, Eden Phillpotts, The Human Boy Again:
      There was some good counter hits, and then Foster received a prop on the nose which drew the claret.
References
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  • John Camden Hotten (1873) The Slang Dictionary

Anagrams

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Catalan

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Etymology

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Inherited from Old Catalan prop, from Latin prope.

Pronunciation

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Adverb

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prop

  1. (especially after "a") near, nearby
    No el vull a prop meu ― I don't want him near me
  2. (followed by "de") near to
    Ja devem ser prop del mar ― Now we must be near to the sea
  3. (followed by "de") about, around, roughly
    Fa prop de tres-cents anys ― It was about three hundred years ago

Derived terms

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Further reading

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Dutch

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Etymology

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Inherited from Middle Dutch proppe. Further etymology unknown.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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prop f or m (plural proppen, diminutive propje n)

  1. a swab, plug made of paper, cloth, slime or some other suitable material
  2. a piece of paper or similar which has been crumpled into a ball-like shape, usually though not necessarily with the intent of throwing it away; a wad of paper
  3. (in compounds) an embolism

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • → Indonesian: prop
  • → Papiamentu: pròp

Verb

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prop

  1. inflection of proppen:
    1. first-person singular present indicative
    2. (in case of inversion) second-person singular present indicative
    3. imperative

Indonesian

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Pronunciation

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  • IPA(key): [ˈprɔp]
  • Hyphenation: prop

Etymology 1

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From Dutch prop.

Noun

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prop (first-person possessive propku, second-person possessive propmu, third-person possessive propnya)

  1. (colloquial) cork plug.

Etymology 2

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From English prop (“property”), or a clipping of properti.

Noun

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prop (first-person possessive propku, second-person possessive propmu, third-person possessive propnya)

  1. (art) property, an item placed on a stage or set to create a scene or scenario in which actors perform.

Further reading

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Welsh

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Etymology

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Borrowed from English prop.[1]

Pronunciation

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Noun

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prop

  1. prop, support
  2. (film, theater) prop
  3. (rugby) prop

Derived terms

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Mutation

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Welsh mutation
radical soft nasal aspirate
prop brop mhrop phrop
Note: Some of these forms may be hypothetical. Not every possible mutated form of every word actually occurs.

References

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  1. ^ R. J. Thomas, G. A. Bevan, P. J. Donovan, A. Hawke et al., editors (1950–present), “prop”, in Geiriadur Prifysgol Cymru Online (in Welsh), University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh & Celtic Studies
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