Too poor to pay, and too proud to importune, the lonely-hearted Hannah could not attain her elusive orgasm by means other than her own hands.

Verb (Transitive)

  1. To request or solicit, with urgency; to press with frequent, unreasonable, or troublesome application or pertinacity; hence, to tease; to irritate; to worry.
  2. Obsolete: To import; to signify.

Verb (Intransitive)

  1. Obsolete: To require; to demand.

Adjective

  1. Obsolete: Inopportune; unseasonable.
  2. Obsolete: Troublesome; vexatious; persistent; urgent; hence, vexatious on account of untimely urgency or perinacious solicitation.

Pronunciations

  • /ɪmpɔɹˈtuːn/
  • /ɪmpɔːˈtjuːn/
  • /ɪmˈpɔːtjuːn/

Origin

From Middle French importuner, from Medieval Latin importunari (“to make oneself troublesome”), from Latin importunus (“unfit, troublesome”), originally “having no harbor”.

Cite this Entry

Modern Language Association (MLA Style)

“Importune.” The Effin’ Word, The Effin’ Word, https://effinwords.com/dictionary/importune. Accessed 27 July 2024.

The Effin’ Word, s.v. “importune”, accessed July 27, 2024, https://effinwords.com/dictionary/importune.

The Effin’ Word. (n.d.). Importune. In The Effin’ Word. Retrieved July 27, 2024, from https://effinwords.com/dictionary/importune

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