apron
pronunciation
How to pronounce apron in British English:
UK [ˈeɪprən]
How to pronounce apron in American English:
US [ˈeɪprən]
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- Noun:
- a garment of cloth or leather or plastic that is tied about the waist and worn to protect your clothing
- (golf) the part of the fairway leading onto the green
- the part of a modern theater stage between the curtain and the orchestra (i.e., in front of the curtain)
- a paved surface where aircraft stand while not being used
Word Origin
- apron
- apron: [14] As in the case of adder, umpire, and many others, apron arose from a mistaken analysis of the combination ‘indefinite article + noun’. The original Middle English word was napron, but as early as the 15th century a napron had turned into an apron. Napron itself had been borrowed from Old French naperon, a derivative of nape ‘cloth’ (source of English napery and napkin); and nape came from Latin mappa ‘napkin, towel’ (source of English map).=> map, mat, napkin
- apron (n.)
- mid-15c., faulty separation (as also in adder, umpire) of a napron (c. 1300), from Old French naperon "small table-cloth," diminutive of nappe "cloth," from Latin mappa "napkin." Napron was still in use as recently as late 16c. The shift of Latin -m- to -n- was a tendency in Old French (conter from computare, printemps from primum, natte "mat, matting," from matta). Symbolic of "wife's business" from 1610s. Apron-string tenure was in reference to property held in virtue of one's wife, or during her lifetime only.Even at his age, he ought not to be always tied to his mother's apron string. [Anne Brontë, "The Tenant of Wildfell Hall," 1848]
Example
- 1. Mrs. peters : she said she wanted an apron .
- 2. You wouldn 't catch me deep-frying potato croquettes without even an apron .
- 3. She was wearing a flowered apron with a wand sticking out of the pocket .
- 4. Sarah jessica parker and her manolo blahniks will be out ; grandma walton and her sensible apron will be in .
- 5. At the more expensive schools , students are also usually given an apron and a gift box of thai cooking ingredients .