à propos de bottes

== English == === Etymology === Unadapted borrowing from French à propos de bottes (literally “on the subject of boots”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /ˌæpɹəˌpəʊ də ˈbɒt(s)/ (General American) IPA(key): /ˌæpɹəˌpoʊ də ˈbɑt(s)/ Hyphenation: à pro‧pos de bottes === Adverb === à propos de bottes (dated) Apropos of nothing; without connection to anything; by the way, unrelatedly. 1892 May 14, “Essence of Parliament — Extracted from the Diary of Toby, M.P.”, in Punch, or the London Charivari, volume 102, 2005 Gutenberg edition: Suddenly jumped up; shook fist at back of ASQUITH's unoffending head, and, à propos de bottes, "wanted to know about the swindling companies and their shareholders?" 1952, Anthony Powell, A Buyer's Market (A Dance to the Music of Time, Volume 2), Fontana Books, page 225: Analysis at that moment was in any case out of reach, because I realised that I had been left, at that moment, standing silently by Mrs Wentworth, to whom I now explained, à propos de bottes, that I knew Barnby. ==== Alternative forms ==== a propos de bottes