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importune . In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word
importune , but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say
importune in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word
importune you have here. The definition of the word
importune will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition of
importune , as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
English
Etymology
From Middle French importuner , from Medieval Latin importūnor ( “ to make oneself troublesome ” ) , from Latin importūnus ( “ unfit, troublesome ” ) , originally "having no harbor".
Pronunciation
( UK ) IPA (key ) : /ɪmpɔːˈtjuːn/ , /ɪmˈpɔːtjuːn/
Audio (Southern England) (file )
( US ) IPA (key ) : /ɪmpɔɹˈtuːn/
Verb
importune (third-person singular simple present importunes , present participle importuning , simple past and past participle importuned )
To bother , irritate , trouble .
1603 , Michel de Montaigne , chapter XVII, in John Florio , transl., The Essayes , book II, London: Val Simmes for Edward Blount , →OCLC :To deliberate, be it but in slight matters, doth importune me.
To harass with persistent requests .
c. 1590–1592 (date written), William Shakespeare , “The Taming of the Shrew ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio ), London: Isaac Iaggard , and Ed Blount , published 1623 , →OCLC , , page 210 , column 2, lines 50–51 :Gentlemen, importune me no farther, / For hovv I firmly am reſolu'd you knovv: / That is, not to beſtovv my yongeſt daughter, / Before I haue a husband for the elder: [ …]
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare , “The Tempest ”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies (First Folio ), London: Isaac Iaggard , and Ed Blount , published 1623 , →OCLC , , page 7 , column 1:You were kneel'd to, & importun'd otherwiſe / By all of vs; [ …]
1711 December 8, [Jonathan Swift ], The Conduct of the Allies, and of the Late Ministry, in Beginning and Carrying on the Present War , 4th edition, London: John Morphew , published 1711 , →OCLC , page 57 :[W]e have been obliged to hire Troops from ſeveral Princes of the Empire, whoſe Ministers and Reſidents here, have perpetually importuned the Court with unreaſonable Demands, under which our late Miniſters thought fit to be Paſſive.
To approach to offer one's services as a prostitute , or otherwise make improper proposals .
( obsolete ) To import ; to signify .
Related terms
Translations
to harass with persistent requests
Bulgarian: досаждам (bg) ( dosaždam ) , натрапвам се ( natrapvam se )
Finnish: udella (fi) ( for information ) , anella (fi) ( for goods or services )
Galician: importunar (gl) , abafar (gl)
German: bedrängen (de) , belästigen (de)
Maori: patete , unene
Portuguese: importunar (pt) , incomodar (pt)
Russian: домога́ться (ru) ( domogátʹsja ) , надоеда́ть (ru) ( nadojedátʹ ) , приставать (ru) ( pristavatʹ )
Spanish: importunar (es)
Swedish: besvära (sv)
Turkish: sıkboğaz etmek , üstelemek (tr) , dadanmak (tr)
to make improper proposals
Adjective
importune (comparative more importune , superlative most importune )
( obsolete ) Grievous , severe , exacting .
( obsolete ) Inopportune ; unseasonable .
( obsolete ) Troublesome ; vexatious ; persistent .
1625 , Francis [Bacon ], “Of Envy”, in The Essayes , 3rd edition, London: Iohn Haviland for Hanna Barret, →OCLC :Of all other affections it [envy] is the most importune and continual.
Related terms
Anagrams
French
Pronunciation
Verb
importune
inflection of importuner :
first / third-person singular present indicative / subjunctive
second-person singular imperative
Italian
Adjective
importune f pl
feminine plural of importuno
Anagrams
Latin
Adjective
importūne
vocative masculine singular of importūnus
References
“importune ”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879 ) A Latin Dictionary , Oxford: Clarendon Press
“importune ”, in Charlton T. Lewis (1891 ) An Elementary Latin Dictionary , New York: Harper & Brothers
importune in Gaffiot, Félix (1934 ) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français , Hachette.
Portuguese
Verb
importune
inflection of importunar :
first / third-person singular present subjunctive
third-person singular imperative
Spanish
Verb
importune
inflection of importunar :
first / third-person singular present subjunctive
third-person singular imperative