apron

apron
apron (n.) mid-15c., faulty separation (Cf. ADDER (Cf. adder), UMPIRE (Cf. umpire)) of a napron (c.1300), from O.Fr. naperon "small table-cloth," dim. of nappe "cloth," from L. 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 (e.g. 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]

Etymology dictionary. 2014.

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  • apron — ● apron nom masculin (du latin asper, âpre) Petit poisson des bassins du Rhône, du Rhin et du Danube, voisin de la perche. ⇒APRON, subst. masc. ICHTYOL. (région.). Poisson comestible voisin de la perche. Apron cingle (Lar. 19e); apron commun (H.… …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Apron — du Rhône Apron du Rhône …   Wikipédia en Français

  • apron — ► NOUN 1) a protective garment covering the front of one s clothes and tied at the back. 2) an area on an airfield used for manoeuvring or parking aircraft. 3) (also apron stage) a strip of stage projecting in front of the curtain. 4) an endless… …   English terms dictionary

  • apron — [ā′prən] n. [by faulty separation of a napron < ME napron < OFr naperon < nape, a cloth < L mappa, napkin] 1. a garment of cloth, leather, etc. worn over the front part of the body, usually to protect one s clothes 2. anything like an …   English World dictionary

  • Apron — A pron ([=a] p[u^]rn or [=a] pr[u^]n; 277), n. [OE. napron, OF. naperon, F. napperon, dim. of OF. nape, F. nappe, cloth, tablecloth, LL. napa, fr. L. mappa, napkin, table napkin. See {Map}.] 1. An article of dress, of cloth, leather, or other… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • apron — ā prən, pərn n, often attrib 1) a garment usu. of cloth or plastic usu. tied around the waist and used esp. to protect clothing 2) an anatomical structure that resembles an apron esp HOTTENTOT APRON …   Medical dictionary

  • Apron — bezeichnet: ein Tourneetheater aus Halle, siehe Theater Apron einen Teil des Flugplatzes, siehe Vorfeld (Flughafen) in der Schweiz die Fischart Rhone Streber Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung m …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • apron — Apron, voyez Aspron …   Thresor de la langue françoyse

  • Apron — This article is about the garment. For other uses, see Apron (disambiguation). A full length apron An apron is an outer protective garment that covers primarily the front of the body. It may be worn for hygienic reasons as well as in order to… …   Wikipedia

  • apron — apronlike, adj. /ay preuhn/, n. 1. a garment covering part of the front of the body and tied at the waist, for protecting the wearer s clothing: a kitchen apron. 2. Anglican Ch. a similar garment extending to the knees, worn by bishops, deans,… …   Universalium

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