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Origin and history of prop

prop(n.1)

"a support, a rigid thing used to sustain an incumbent weight" (usually applied to something not forming a part of the object supported), mid-15c., proppe, probably from Middle Dutch proppe "vine prop, support; stop for a bottle," a word of unknown origin. Probably related to Old High German pfropfo, German pfropfen "to prop," which are perhaps from Latin propago "a set, layer of a plant" (see propagation). Irish propa, Gaelic prop are said to be borrowed from English.

prop(n.2)

"object used in a play," 1898, from props (1841), shortened form of properties (which was in theatrical use from early 15c.); see property.

prop(v.)

"to support or prevent from falling by placing something under or against," mid-15c., probably from prop (n.1) or a related verb in Dutch. Meaning "support or sustain" in a general sense (especially a cause, institution, etc. at risk of failing) is from 1540s. Related: Propped; propping.

prop(n.3)

short for propeller, 1914.

also from 1914

Entries linking to prop

propagation(n.)

mid-15c., propagacioun, "the causing of plants or animals to reproduce; reproduction; act or fact of begetting or being begotten," from Old French propagacion "offshoot, offspring" (13c.) and directly from Latin propagationem (nominative propagatio) "a propagation, extension, enlargement," noun of action from past-participle stem of propagare "set forward, extend, spread, increase; multiply plants by layers, breed," from propago (genitive propaginis) "that which propagates, offspring," from pro "forth" (see pro-) + -pag, from PIE root *pag- "to fasten," source of pangere "to fasten" (see pact). Sense of "spreading, diffusion, extension" (of light, sound, etc.) is from 1650s.

propeller(n.)

1780, "one who or that which that propels," agent noun from propel. In the mechanical sense, 1809, "device for moving vessels on or under the water;" of flying machines, 1842 in a broad, theoretical sense; in the specific modern sense, 1853.

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Trends of prop

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

More to explore

property
c. 1300, properte, "nature, quality, distinctive character always present in an individual or class," later "possession, land or goods owned, things subject to ownership" (early 14c., but this sense is rare before 17c.), from an Anglo-French modification of Old French proprete, "
props
 a slang shortening of proper respects (or something similar), c. 1999; see proper. As the nickname of the properties manager of a theater by 1831 (see prop (n.2)). Also the name of a gambling game played with shells in vogue in the 1850s, especially in Boston. It was,
prune
mid-14c., "a plum," also "a dried plum" (c. 1200 in place name Prunhill), from Old French pronne "plum" (13c.), from Vulgar Latin *pruna, fem. singular formed from Latin pruna, neuter plural of prunum "a plum," a dissimilated borrowing of Greek proumnon, from proumnē "plum tree,"
shore
mid-14c., shoren, "to prop, support with or as if by a prop," from or related to shore (n.)..."a prop, a support" (late 13c.); words of obscure etymology though widespread in Germanic (Middle Dutch schooren "to prop...
bolster
(implied in bolstered), "prop up; make to bulge" (originally of a woman's breasts), from bolster (n.)....of "uphold; maintain" a weak or falling cause or object" is from c. 1500, on the notion of "to support with a bolster, prop...
stay
"to prop, support, sustain," early 15c., staien, from Old French estaiier (Modern French étayer), originally in nautical...use, "secure by stays," from estaie "a support, a prop" (see stay (n.1) and compare stay (n.2))....
impale
impalare "to push onto a stake," from assimilated form of in- "into, in" (from PIE root *en "in") + Latin palus "a stake, prop...
sustain
late 13c., sustenen, transitive, "provide the necessities of life to;" by early 14c. as "give support to (an effort or cause); also in physical senses, "keep from falling or sinking, hold up or upright;" also "give assistance to; keep (a quarrel, etc.) going." It is from the stem
object
late 14c., "tangible thing, something perceived with or presented to the senses," from Old French object and directly from Medieval Latin obiectum "thing put before" (the mind or sight), noun use of neuter of Latin obiectus "lying before, opposite" (as a noun in classical Latin,
hold-up
also holdup, 1837, "a stoppage or check," from verbal phrase (see hold (v.) + up (adv.)). The verbal phrase is from late 13c. as "to keep erect; support, sustain;" 1580s as "endure, hold out;" 1590s (intransitive) as "to stop, cease, refrain;" 1860 as "to stay up, not fall." The

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