propriety
/propriety/
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Noun: 1. Correct or appropriate behavior: The quality or state of conforming to established standards of behavior or morals, especially in matters of social conduct. 2. The details or rules of correct conduct: The specific customs and manners considered proper within a particular society or context.
Usage
"Propriety" is a formal noun used to describe behavior that is socially or morally acceptable. It often refers to the observance of etiquette, decorum, and conventional norms. It is commonly used in discussions of social behavior, manners, and professional conduct.
Examples
- The lawyer questioned the propriety of the judge's private meeting with one of the attorneys.
- In Victorian society, strict rules of propriety governed interactions between unmarried men and women.
- She always acts with the utmost propriety in business meetings.
- There was some debate about the propriety of using company funds for the holiday party.
Advanced Usage
- A sense of propriety: An innate or learned understanding of what is socially correct.
- His strong sense of propriety prevented him from gossiping about his colleagues.
- Observance of the proprieties: Adherence to the formal rules of polite society.
- The ambassador's wife was a master of observing all the social proprieties.
Variants and Related Words
- Impropriety (noun): The state or quality of being improper; incorrect or unsuitable behavior.
- The financial impropriety led to the CEO's resignation.
Synonyms
- Decorum
- Decency
- Etiquette
- Correctness
- Seemliness
- Appropriateness
Antonyms
- Impropriety
- Indecorum
- Unseemliness
Idioms and Phrases
- A breach of propriety: An action that violates accepted social rules.
- Wearing jeans to the formal dinner was considered a serious breach of propriety.
Noun
- correct or appropriate behavior