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)
- To request or solicit, with urgency; to press with frequent, unreasonable, or troublesome application or pertinacity; hence, to tease; to irritate; to worry.
- Obsolete: To import; to signify.
Verb (Intransitive)
- Obsolete: To require; to demand.
Adjective
- Obsolete: Inopportune; unseasonable.
- 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 9 Dec. 2024.
The Chicago Manual of Style (Chicago Style)
The Effin Word, s.v. importune, accessed December 9, 2024, https://effinwords.com/dictionary/importune.
American Psychological Association (APA Style)
The Effin Word. (n.d.). Importune. In The Effin Word. Retrieved December 9, 2024, from https://effinwords.com/dictionary/importune