importune
- to press or beset with solicitations; demand with urgency or persistence.
- to make improper advances toward (a person).
- to beg for (something) urgently or persistently.
- Obsolete. to annoy.
- Obsolete. to press; impel.
- to make urgent or persistent solicitations.
- to make improper advances toward another person.
Origin of importune
Synonyms for importune
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comRelated Words for importune
beset, press, crave, persuade, plead, hound, badger, sell, nag, pray, pester, implore, solicit, appeal, urge, invoke, besiege, plague, ask, beseechExamples from the Web for importune
Contemporary Examples of importune
I beg, plead, implore, importune: Get some spokespeople out there for the cause who are just regular Americans.
Historical Examples of importune
I importune the Supreme Council for a post, a crust of bread, a home!
Casanova's HomecomingArthur Schnitzler
Are these matters wherewith to importune a stranger—a guest?
The Lion's SkinRafael Sabatini
I must obey you at the city gate; but I will importune you here.
The Hour and the ManHarriet Martineau
No use to importune her to act against her instincts—not a bit of use!
BeyondJohn Galsworthy
Though Jupiter should grant his request to each, we should continue to importune him.
Pearls of ThoughtMaturin M. Ballou
importune
- to harass with persistent requests; demand of (someone) insistently
- to beg for persistently; request with insistence
- obsolete
- to anger or annoy
- to force; impel
Word Origin for importune
Word Origin and History for importune
1520s, back-formation from importunity, or else from Middle French importuner, from Medieval Latin importunari "to make oneself troublesome," from Latin importunus "unfit, troublesome," originally "having no harbor" (i.e. "difficult to access"), from assimilated form of in- "not, opposite of" (see in- (1)) + portus "harbor" (see port (n.1)). Related: Importuned; importuning. As an adjective from early 15c.