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 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.