- importune
- to offer sexual services for moneyLiterally, to beseech. Legal jargon of prostitutes who solicit customers in public places.
How not to say what you mean: A dictionary of euphemisms. R. W. Holder. 2014.
importune
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Importune — Im por*tune ([i^]m p[o^]r*t[=u]n ), a. [F. importun, L. importunus; pref. im not + a derivative from the root of portus harbor, importunus therefore orig. meaning, hard of access. See {Port} harbor, and cf. {Importunate}.] 1. Inopportune;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
importune — im·por·tune /ˌim pȯr tün, tyün; im pȯr ˌtyün, chən/ vb tuned, tun·ing vt: to press or urge with troublesome persistence who solicits, requests, commands, importune s or intentionally aids another person to engage in conduct which constitutes an … Law dictionary
Importune — Im por*tune , v. i. To require; to demand. [Obs.] [1913 Webster] We shall write to you, As time and our concernings shall importune. Shak. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Importune — Im por*tune , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Importuned} ([i^]m p[o^]r*t[=u]nd ); p. pr. & vb. n. {Importuning}.] [From {Importune}, a.: cf. F. importuner.] 1. To request or solicit, with urgency; to press with frequent, unreasonable, or troublesome… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
importuné — importuné, ée (in por tu né, née) part. passé d importuner. • Du bruit de ses exploits mon âme importunée, RAC. Alex. I, 2. • Il était moins sensible à l éclat du trône qu importuné des devoirs qu il impose, DUCLOS Hist. Louis XI, Oeuv. t. II … Dictionnaire de la Langue Française d'Émile Littré
importune — (v.) 1520s, back formation from IMPORTUNITY (Cf. importunity), or else from M.Fr. importuner, from M.L. importunari to make oneself troublesome, from L. importunus unfit, troublesome, originally having no harbor (i.e. difficult to access ), from… … Etymology dictionary
importune — *beg, entreat, beseech, implore, supplicate, adjure Analogous words: tease, pester, plague, harry, *worry: hound, hector, badger (see BAIT): plead, appeal, sue (see under PRAYER) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
importune — [v] demand, insist appeal, ask, badger, beg, beseech, beset, besiege, con*, crave, dun, egg on*, entreat, goose*, harass, hound*, implore, invoke, nag, persuade, pester, plague, plead, pray, press, sell, solicit, supplicate, urge, work on*;… … New thesaurus
importuné — Importuné, [importun]ée. part … Dictionnaire de l'Académie française
importune — ► VERB 1) harass with persistent requests. 2) (usu. as noun importuning) approach to offer one s services as a prostitute. ORIGIN Latin importunari, from importunus (see IMPORTUNATE(Cf. ↑importunity)) … English terms dictionary
importune — [im΄pôr to͞on′, im΄pôrtyo͞on′; im΄pərto͞on′, im΄pərtyo͞on′; ] chiefly Brit [ im pôr′tyo͞on΄, im pôr′cho͞on΄] vt. importuned, importuning [Fr importuner < the adj.] 1. to trouble with requests or demands; urge or entreat persistently or… … English World dictionary
