apron

Meanings

Noun

• An article of clothing worn over the front of the torso and/or legs for protection from spills; also historically worn by Freemasons and as part of women's fashion.
• The short cassock ordinarily worn by English bishops.
• A hard surface bordering a structure or area.
• The sides of a tree's canopy.
• The cap of a cannon; a piece of lead laid over the vent to keep the priming dry.
• A removable cover for the passengers' feet and legs in an open horse carriage.

Verb

• To cover with, or as if with, an apron.

Origin

• of napron (a napron → an apron), from Middle English naperon, napron, aperon, apron, from Old French napperon, diminutive of nappe, from Latin mappa ("napkin"). For other similar cases of rebracketing, see adder, daffodil, newt, nickname, orange, trickle, umpire.