"convey to the mind, express," late 14c., from Old French proporter (12c.), variant of porporter "convey, contain, carry" (see purport (v.)). Apparently archaic or obsolete after 17c.
Entries linking to proport
purport v.
1520s, "indicate, express, set forth, convey to the mind as the meaning or thing intended," from the noun in English and from Anglo-French purporter (c. 1300), from Old French purporter "to contain, convey, carry; intend," from pur- (from Latin pro- "forth;" see pur-) + Old French porter "to carry," from Latin portare "to carry" (from PIE root *per- (2) "to lead, pass over"). Related: Purported; purporting.