IMPORTUNE


Meaning of IMPORTUNE in English

I. |impər|tün, -ˌpȯr-, -r.|tyün; ə̇mˈpȯrchən, -(ˌ)chün adjective

Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French & Latin; Middle French importun, from Latin importunus unfit, troublesome, rude, from in- in- (I) + -portunus (as in opportunus fit, convenient) — more at opportune

: importunate

• im·por·tune·ly adverb

II. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

Etymology: Middle French or Medieval Latin; Middle French importuner, from Medieval Latin importunare, from Latin importunus

transitive verb

1.

a. : to press or urge with frequent or unreasonable requests or troublesome persistence

were being importuned to try their luck with the play — Claudia Cassidy

importuned many businessmen to come to Washington — John McDonald

b. archaic : to request or beg for urgently

2.

a. : annoy , worry , trouble

b. : to make immoral or lewd advances toward

arrested for importuning a male person in the park

intransitive verb

1. : to beg, urge, or solicit persistently or troublesomely

2. : to make immoral or lewd advances toward another

fined for importuning in a public convenience — T.A.Cullen

Synonyms: see beg

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.