adj
Meaning 1
Grievous, severe, exacting.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Standard Lemma guide
importune
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.
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UK: /ɪmpɔːˈtjuːn/
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UK: /ɪmˈpɔːtjuːn/
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Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
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US: /ɪmpɔɹˈtuːn/
adj
Meaning 2
Inopportune; unseasonable.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
adj
Meaning 3
Troublesome; vexatious; persistent.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
noun
Meaning 4
Synonym of importuner.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: importuner
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 5
To bother, irritate, trouble.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 6
To harass with persistent requests.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 7
To approach to offer one's services as a prostitute, or otherwise make improper proposals.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 8
To import; to signify.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete, transitive
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
verb
Meaning 9
beg persistently and urgently
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
- I importune you to help them
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: insist
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: beg, implore, pray
Narrower terms: besiege
History
Etymology
From Middle English importune, inportune, from Anglo-Norman and Middle French importun and its etymon Classical Latin importūnus.
From Middle French importuner and its etymon Medieval Latin importūnor (“to make oneself troublesome”), from Latin importūnus (“unfit, troublesome”), originally "having no harbor".
Across languages
Translations
33 source translations are retained for this English entry.
- Amharic: ወተወተ (wätäwätä) — to harass with persistent requests
- Bulgarian: досаждам (dosaždam) — to harass with persistent requests
- Bulgarian: натрапвам се (natrapvam se) — to harass with persistent requests
- Czech: obtěžovat — to harass with persistent requests
- Czech: dotírat — to harass with persistent requests
- Czech: naléhavě žádat — to harass with persistent requests
- Finnish: udella — to harass with persistent requests
- Finnish: anella — to harass with persistent requests
- Galician: importunar — to harass with persistent requests
- Galician: abafar — to harass with persistent requests
- German: bedrängen — to harass with persistent requests
- German: belästigen — to harass with persistent requests
- Kazakh: тықақтау (tyqaqtau) — to harass with persistent requests
- Māori: patete — to harass with persistent requests
- Māori: unene — to harass with persistent requests
- Polish: napraszać się — to harass with persistent requests
- Portuguese: importunar — to harass with persistent requests
- Portuguese: incomodar — to harass with persistent requests
- Russian: домога́ться (domogátʹsja) — to harass with persistent requests
- Russian: надоеда́ть (nadojedátʹ) — to harass with persistent requests
- Russian: приставать (pristavatʹ) — to harass with persistent requests
- Spanish: importunar — to harass with persistent requests
- Swedish: besvära — to harass with persistent requests
- Turkish: sıkboğaz etmek — to harass with persistent requests
- Turkish: üstelemek — to harass with persistent requests
- Turkish: dadanmak — to harass with persistent requests
- Bulgarian: предлагам се (predlagam se) — to make improper proposals
- Czech: obtěžovat — to make improper proposals
- Finnish: ahdistella — to make improper proposals
- Kazakh: мазасын алу (mazasyn alu) — to make improper proposals
- Kazakh: жабысу (jabysu) — to make improper proposals
- Kazakh: жармасу (jarmasu) — to make improper proposals
- Spanish: prostituirse — to make improper proposals