properly

[ian2]

Few Edisons or Einsteins were properly recognized during their lifetime.

In the above sentence, the adverb "properly" could mean at least two things according to some dictionary:

1. correctly, or appropriately
2. totally (UK)

I just want to know in what sense a British person, reading this sentence, interprets the word "properly". If in "properly tired", "properly" means "totally", could"properly" be interpreted as "totally" here? I think properly here means appropriately. Your opinion please. Thanks.

[Tdol]

I would go for the second - they are not fully recognised - if I had to choose, but it strikes me as a bit of both.