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impropriate

British  

verb

  1. (tr) to transfer (property, rights, etc) from the Church into lay hands

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

adjective

  1. transferred in this way

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • impropriation noun
  • impropriator noun

Etymology

Origin of impropriate

C16: from Medieval Latin impropriāre to make one's own, from Latin im- in- ² + propriāre to appropriate

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Thus, in 1622, Archbishop Ussher in a Report of Bective parish said it belonged to Bartholomew Dillon, Esq. of Riverstown, his Majesty’s farmer of the impropriate property.

From Project Gutenberg

Impropriate, im-prō′pri-āt, v.t. to appropriate to private use: to place ecclesiastical property in the hands of a layman.—adj.

From Project Gutenberg

Apparently, Thurstan, Archbishop of Canterbury, had referred to Theobald the question whether monks could legally impropriate churches and tithe.

From Project Gutenberg

The End impropriate, and the Meaning low.

From Project Gutenberg

The chancel was renovated through the munificence of the Earl of Leicester, lord of the manor, and holder of the impropriate tithes.

From Project Gutenberg