apron

American  

[ey-pruhn] / ˈeɪ prən /

noun

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 Church. a similar garment extending to the knees, worn by bishops, deans, and archdeans.

3. a metal plate or cover, usually vertical, for a machine, mechanism, artillery piece, etc., for protecting those who operate it.

4. a continuous conveyor belt for bulk materials, consisting of a chain of steel plates.

5. (in a lathe) a part of the carriage holding the clutches and gears moving the toolholder.

6. a paved or hard-packed area abutting an airfield's buildings and hangars, where planes are parked, loaded, or the like.

7. a broad paved area used for parking cars, as at the end of a driveway.

8. Civil Engineering.

   1. any device for protecting a surface of earth, as a riverbank, from the action of moving water.

   2. a platform to receive the water falling over a dam.

9. the part of a stage floor in front of the curtain line.

10. Furniture. skirt.

11. the outer border of a green of a golf course.

12. the part of the floor of a boxing ring that extends outside the ropes.

13. Also called skirt.  a flat, broad piece of interior window trim immediately beneath the sill.

14. a strip of metal set into masonry and bent down to cover the upper edge of flashing; counterflashing.

15. the open part of a pier for loading and unloading vessels.

16. Nautical. (in a wooden vessel) a piece reinforcing the stem on the after side and leading down to the deadwood.

17. Geology. a deposit of gravel and sand at the base of a mountain or extending from the edges of a glacier.

18. the frill of long hairs on the throat and chest of certain long-haired dogs, as the collie.

19. a structure erected around another structure, as for reinforcement or decoration.

    a high fence surrounded by a wire apron buried in the ground.

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verb (used with object)

1. to put an apron on; furnish with an apron.

2. to surround in the manner of an apron.

   The inner city is aproned by low-cost housing.

apron British  

/ ˈeɪprən /

noun

1. a protective or sometimes decorative or ceremonial garment worn over the front of the body and tied around the waist

2. the part of a stage extending in front of the curtain line; forestage

3. a hard-surfaced area in front of or around an aircraft hangar, terminal building, etc, upon which aircraft can stand

4. a continuous conveyor belt composed usually of slats linked together

5. a protective plate screening the operator of a machine, artillery piece, etc

6. a ground covering of concrete or other material used to protect the underlying earth from water erosion

7. a panel or board between a window and a skirting in a room

8. geology a sheet of sand, gravel, etc, deposited at the front of a moraine

9. golf the part of the fairway leading onto the green

10. machinery the housing for the lead screw gears of a lathe

11. another name for skirt

12. dependent on or dominated by someone, esp a mother or wife

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verb

1. (tr) to protect or provide with an apron

apron Scientific  

/ ā′prən /

1. An area covered by a blanketlike deposit of glacial, eolian, marine, or alluvial sediments, especially an area at the foot of a mountain or in front of a glacier.

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Other Word Forms

• apronlike adjective
• unaproned adjective

Etymology

Origin of apron

1275–1325; 1925–30 apron for def. 6; 1900–05 apron for def. 8; Middle English napron (by later misconstruing a napron as an apron ) < Middle French naperon, equivalent to nape tablecloth (< Latin mappa napkin; map ) + -ron diminutive suffix

Example Sentences

As the sun went down and a phone notification warned of more rain, the women, donning elf aprons and Santa hats, scrambled to move the boxes under cover.

From Los Angeles Times

The number of shelters, together with apron space for more aircraft to stand outside, suggests the facility is turning into a “frontline airbase,” said Symon, who closely tracks military developments in this region.

From The Wall Street Journal

Tempus even tucks in recipe cards, an apron, sea salt and scallop shells to make indulging as easy as can be.

From Salon

Penelope obliged, although she was not wearing an apron and the flour made white streaks on her skirt.

From Literature

Penelope tucked the letter into her apron pocket and quickly regained her professional composure, on the outside, at least.

From Literature

Related Words

• smock