importunity

English

Etymology

From Middle French importunité, from Latin importūnitās (“incivility”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /ɪmpɔːˈtjuːnɪti/
• (US) IPA^(key): /ˌɪmpɔɹˈtuːnɪti/

Noun

importunity (plural importunities)

1. A constant and insistent demanding.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iii]:

     Then way what loſſe your honor may ſuſtaine / If with too credent eare you liſt his ſongs / Or looſe your hart, or your chaſt treaſure open / To his vnmaſtred importunity.

   • 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Luke 11:8:

     I say vnto you, Though he will not rise, and giue him, because he is his friend: yet because of his importunitie, hee will rise and giue him as many as he needeth.

   • 1665, Joseph Glanvill, “Scire/i tuum nihil est: Or, The Authors Defence of the Vanity of Dogmatizing; against the Exceptions of the Learned Tho. Albius [i.e., Thomas White] in His Late Sciri”, in Scepsis Scientifica: Or, Confest Ignorance, the Way to Science; […], London: […] E. C[otes] for Henry Eversden […], →OCLC, page 74:

     The truth of my Third Accuſation is confeſt, but the guilt, not acknovvledged; ſince that vvhich excites men to endleſs bavvlings, and altercations; Schiſms, Hereſies and Rebellions, by the vehemencies of Diſpute, is it ſeems vvith our Author no more noxious and criminal, then the Sun that ſtirrs men up to their vvork in the morning, by the importunity of it's beams.

   • 1685, John Bunyan, A Discourse upon the Pharisee and the Publican. […], 3rd edition, London: […] John Marshall, […], published 1704, →OCLC, page 2:

     For if through Importunity, a poor VVidovv-vvoman may prevail vvith an unjuſt Judge; and ſo conſequently vvith an unmerciful and hard-hearted Tyrant, hovv much more ſhall the poor, afflicted, diſtreſſed, and tempted People of God, prevail vvith, and obtain Mercy at the Hands of a loving, juſt, and merciful God?

   • 1766, [Oliver Goldsmith], The Vicar of Wakefield: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), Salisbury, Wiltshire: […] B. Collins, for F[rancis] Newbery, […], →OCLC:

     Still, however, being surrounded with importunity, and no longer able to satisfy every request that was made him, instead of money he gave promises.

   • 1847 December, Ellis Bell [pseudonym; Emily Brontë], chapter XXVII, in Wuthering Heights: […], volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Thomas Cautley Newby, […], →OCLC:

     […] Linton clung to his cousin, and implored her to accompany him, with a frantic importunity that admitted no denial.

   • 1909, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, chapter 13, in Ann Veronica, London: T[homas] Fisher Unwin, page 289:

     But when she turned her thoughts to Morningside Park she perceived the tangled skein of life was now to be further complicated by his romantic importunity.

2. (obsolete) An inappropriate or unsuitable time; unseasonableness.

Related terms

• importune

Translations

constant and instant demanding

Bulgarian: настойчивост (bg) f (nastojčivost) German: Aufdringlichkeit f, ständiges Bedrängen n Spanish: importunidad (es) f Turkish: sırnaşıklık (tr)