Importune | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Ĭm′pŏr-tūne′, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. [imp. & p. p. IMPORTUNED; p. pr. & vb. n. IMPORTUNING.] [Fr. importuner, Sp. importunar, It. & L. Lat. importunare, from Lat. importunus. See infra.]

Sense 1. To request with urgency; to press with solicitation; to urge with frequent, unreasonable, or troublesome application; to tease.

Their ministers and residents here have perpetually importuned the court with unreasonable demands. Swift.

Sense 2. To import; to signify. [Obs.] “It importunes death.” Spenser.

Ĭm’por-tūne’, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To require; to call for; to demand. [Obs.]

We shall write to you As time and our concernings shall importune. Shak.

Formerly the second syllable took the accent, and not the last.

Ĭm’por-tūne’,, a.

adjective

a. [Lat. importunus; prefix im, for in, and portare, to ‘bear, (as if) not conducive, not proper; Fr. importun, Sp. & It. importuno.] [Obs.] 1. Pressing in request; troublesome by frequent demands; urgent; vexatious. Of all other affections it [envy] is the most importune and continual. Bacon. 2. Unseasonable; inopportune; unfortunate. “The too importune fate.” Spenser.