that can resist or protect
against the thing mentioned ••• M ; #£•••.($: rainproof/windproof
clothing IM / KrJxUK^ 0 The car has childproof
locks on the rear doors. H # Jfi- H W it) L M. Jf B M M» 0 an
inflation-proof pension plan
ifft
m verb .[VN] 1 to put a special
substance on sth, especially cloth, to protect it against water, fire, etc. ft
(
# ) ) : proofed canvas
fi$M M TjcftJi M #1 # 2 to produce a test copy
of a piece of printed work so that mistakes can be corrected E|J M : colour
proofing Bp % #
proof-read /'pruifriid/
verb (proof
read, proof-read /-red/) to read and correct a piece of written or
printed work ft |)g; ftxtf; @hft: [VN] Has this document been proofread? &
ffr % ft ft M M ft ft ? [also
V] ►
proof read-er noun: to work as a proofreader for a
publishing company ft- - '4C ft ft fi] ft ft X>f JA prop /prop; NAmE
pra:p/ noun, verb m noun 1 a piece of wood,
metal, etc. used to support sth or keep it in position jt.ft ; Xi f$. % : Rescuers
used props to stop the roof of the tunnel collapsing, f SA M 0 a
pit prop (= one used in a coal mine) 2
a person or thing that gives help
or
support to sb/sth that is weak ^ j£ ft; fs IS 3 [usually pi.] a
small object used by actors during the performance of a play or in a film/movie
It ft: He is responsible for all the stage props and lighting, ft ft ft
ft a 31 IrfDffito 4 (also 'prop forward) (in rugby $c) a player on either side of
the front row of a SCRUM
is verb ( pp-) ~ sth/sb (up)
(against sth) to support an object by leaning it against
sth, or putting sth under it etc.; to support a person in the same way ftjf :
[VN +adv./prep.] He propped his bike
against the wall. ft ft [| 0 She
propped herself up on one elbow. Ml#Ml#0
He lay propped against the pillows. ftfl^ttftl»)4f
o O [VN-ADJ] The door was propped open. nS^JFIIo .prop sth<-'up 1 to prevent sth
from falling by putting
sth under it to support it ft ^2 PT1T1 shore up 2 (often disapproving) to help sth that is
having difficulties ft2 jft ; ft ft ; IJctfr : The government was
accused of propping up declining industries.
propa ganda /.prnpa'gaenda; NAmE ,pra:pa-/ noun [u] (usually disapproving) ideas or statements
that may be false or exaggerated and that are used in order to gain support for
a political leader, party, etc. m. ft; t£ ft: enemy propaganda St
ft M jS! ft
b a propaganda campaign I
propa gand ist /.prDpa'gaendist; NAmE .prcnpa-/ noun (formal, usually disapproving) a person who creates
or spreads propaganda fT ft.|f ► propa gand
ist
adj. [only before noun]; a propagandist
organization %
mm
propa gand ize (BrE also -ise) /.prnpa'gaendaiz; NAmE ,pra:pa-/ verb [V, VN] (formal, disapproving) to spread propaganda; to influence people using propaganda
aft;
propagate /'propageit;
NAmE 'praip-/ verb 1 [VN] (formal) to spread an idea, a
belief or a piece of information among many people ft If ; M ft : Television
advertising propagates a false image of the ideal family.
2 (technical Mft)
to produce new plants
from a parent plant MS; ft S: [VN] The plant can be propagated
from seed, ft# ft % ft I!, b
[V].Plants won’t propagate in these
conditions, ► propa ga
tion
/.prnpa'geijn; NAmE ,pra;p-/ noun [U] prop aga tor /'prnpageita(r); NAmE 'praip-/ noun a box for propagating
plants in ( fttf ) MS# pro-pane /'praupein; NAmE ‘prou-/ noun [u] a gas found in natural
gas and petroleum and used as a
fuel for cooking and heating ftj Eft a propane gas cylinder
ftrft
pro-pel
/pra'pel/
verb (-II-) [VN] [often passive] 1 to move, drive or push
sth forward or in a particular direction ft tj)y Wzfil ftiS: mechanically
propelled vehicles ft# ft
| 1589
i
OHe succeeded in propelling the ball across the line, ft 2 [+adv./prep.] to force sb to move in a particular direction or to
get into a particular situation 3Jg ft; lift; ft m: He was grabbed
from behind and propelled through the door, ft Aft M ffi ft ft ft, ft
ftiaifto b Fury propelled her into action. l&XWA'E
—
see also propulsion
pro pel lant /pra'pelant/ noun [C, U] 1 a gas that
forces out the contents of an aerosol ftM
) 2 a thing or substance that
propels sth, for example the fuel that fires a rocket ftlttM (
m)
pro pel ler /pra'pela(r)/ noun a device with two or
more blades that turn quickly and cause a ship or an aircraft to move forward ( ft ft M M ft K )
—
picture c> page Ri2
pro pelling 'pencil noun a pencil with a lead that can be moved down for writing
by turning or pushing the top of the pencil
pro-pen-sity /pra'pensati/ noun (pi. -ies) ~ (for sth) | ~ (for doing sth) | ~ (to do sth) (formal) a tendency to a
particular kind of behaviour ( )
MM; ft ft
EHG3 inclination: He showed a propensity
for violence. ft M M Hi H ft M
M o b She has a propensity to exaggerate.
proper Or* /‘prnpa(r); NAmE
'praip-/ adj.
1
[only before noun] (especially BrE) right, appropriate or
correct; according to the rules lEHM; ft ft M l|[ij
M > We should have had a proper discussion before voting. 0 Please
follow the proper procedures
for dealing with complaints. if SclEft b Nothing is in its proper place.
2 [only before noun] (BrE, informal) that you consider to be
real and of a good enough standard ft IE M ; (% ft (|<J ; £ ®J ft % M : Eat some
proper food, not just toast and jam! M
if [fe -j# tH ft jjp # #
! When are you going to get a proper job? ft ft
ft M M ft ft — ft il:
3
socially and morally acceptable ft ft ( »3c ft fit
) W ; IE ftftj; : It is right and proper
that
parents take responsibility
for their children’s attendance at school.
#
0 b The development was planned
without proper regard to the interests of local people. 0r ft SlftS
ft lE ft # iM ft
M ft K M M ts. o b He is always perfectly proper in his behaviour,
ft I^J ft ft M it F] ^ ^ ft ft Wl M 0 r»l^u improper — see also propriety
4 [after noun] according to the most exact meaning of the word The
celebrations proper always begin on the last stroke of midnight, it ft ft
ft ft ft ft MSM^ BElftino 5 [only before noun] (BrE, informal) complete. Mft M: We’re in a proper mess now.
ilTil o 6 ~ to sth (formal)
belonging to a particular type of
thing; natural in a particular situation or place M; Xf$ fftfl'l'J;
M:
They should be treated with the dignity proper to all individuals created by
God. (Ml ft ft ft ft i: # M f ft
^ M ft ft o n™ .good and 1
proper (BrE,
informal) completely;
thoroughly ft* ; M ft : That’s messed things
up good and proper, ft'lf
M ft ##t! X \
.proper
'fraction noun (mathematics W) a fraction that is less than one, with
the bottom number greater than the top number, for example lA or %
prop er ly /'prnpali; NAmE
'prarparli/ adv.
1
(especially BrE) in a way that is correct and/or appropriate IE fill ft; lift ft: How much money do
we need to do the job properly? ? b
The television isn’t working properly, it :TE#0
b Make sure the letter is properly addressed, -ft? X- jE fift
F Tj ft ± (ft ft Eh o 2 in a way that is socially or morally acceptable %
ft ft; ft- ft ft;. Wii ^ ft ft: You acted perfectly properly in
approaching me first, if 5fe M MMo b When will these kids learn to
behave properly? jx ft ® f fsj M f ft ? ESQ
improperly 3 really; in fact jifiEft; He had
Usurped powers that properly belonged to parliament, ft ftiT^iEITiXft-M tX ft o b The subject is not,