Prop (or property), subs. (theatrical).—1. Generally in pl.: e.g., manager's-props = stuff for stage use; actors-props = acting material provided by himself. Fr. accessoires.
c.15[?]. Tam. Shr. [Old Play, Act i., p. 164]. My lord, we must Have a shoulder of mutton, for a propertie.
1596. Shakspeare, Merry Wives, iv. 4. Go get us properties and trickings for our fairies.
1845. Punch, ix. 60. "Well covered in With a lot of property snow."
1871. Standard, 8 Sep., 'The Campaign.' Officers are buying the properties necessary—camp beds, canteens, and pocket-flasks are at a premium.
1883. Referee, 6 May, 3, 2. The Theatre Royal scenery and props were sold by auction.
1893. Milliken, 'Arry Ballads, 78. Names and metres is any one's props; but one thing they don't 'ave the 'ang.
2. (thieves').—A breast-pin: whence prop-nailer (see quot. 1856).
185[?]. Dickens, Reprinted Pieces (Three 'Detective' Anecdotes, The Artful Touch). In his shirt-front there's a beautiful diamond prop.
1856. Mayhew, Gt. World of London, 46. Those who plunder by stealth, as . . . prop-nailers, who steal pins or brooches.
1863. Story of a Lancashire Thief, 8. Lucky Middlesex's best was, of how he had nailed a diamond prop only the week before.
1879. Horsley, Auto. of Thief [Macmillan's Mag., xl. 506]. Pipe his spark prop.
1888. Sims, Plank Bed Ballad [Referee, 12 Feb., 3]. A spark prop a pal . . . and I Had touched.
1891. Sporting Times, 11 Ap. But he is proudest of all of the pin, set with diamonds and rubies, presented to him by the Heir to the Throne . . . John was wearing this prop in the Paddock at Epsom.
3. (pugilistic).—A straight hit: see Wipe.
1887. Lic. Vict. Gazette, 2 Dec., 358/3. Ned met each rush of his enemy with straight props.
4- (Punch and Judy).—The gallows.
5. (common).—In pl. = the legs.
1891. Sportsman, 20 Ap. There are those amongst his detractors who assert that with such props he will never successfully negociate the Epsom gradients.
6. (common).—In pl. = crutches.—Grose (1785).
7. (theatrical).—See quot: also propster.
1889. New York Tribune, 14 July. The property-man, or, as he is always called, props for short.
8. (common).—In pl. = the arms.
1869. Temple Bar, xxvi. 74. Take off your coat and put up your props to him.
Verb. (pugilists').—To hit; to knock down. Hence, to put the prop on = to seize an adversary's arm, and so prevent him from hitting.
1851. Mayhew, Lond. Lab., &c., 111. 397. If we met an old bloke (man) we propped him.
1853. Bradley, Verdant Green. His whole person put in Chancery, slung, bruised, fibbed, propped, fiddled, slogged, and otherwise ill-treated.
1887. Lic. Vict. Gazette, 2 Dec., 358/3. Ned . . . stopped Smith's blows neatly, and propped his man right and left as he came in.
1892. National Observer, 27 Feb., p. 378. Give me a snug little set-to down in Whitechapel: Nobody there that can prop you in the eye!
To kick away the prop, verb. phr. (old).—To be hanged: see Ladder.
P.P. See Play or Pay.
Proper, adj. and adv. (old colloquial).—An
ironical inversion or
perversion of a popular epithet of
commendation and approval.
