| 释义 |
impertinency Now rare.|ɪmˈpɜːtɪnənsɪ|
[f. as impertinence, with -ency, q.v. Cotgr. 1611 has ‘Impertinence, impertinencie, vnfitness, vnpropernesse’.]
The quality of being impertinent.
1. The quality of being irrelevant; irrelevancy; = impertinence 1.
1605Shakes. Lear iv. vi. 178 O matter, and impertinency mixt, Reason in Madnesse. 1610J. Guillim Heraldry i. vi. (1660) 35 Which I doe passe over..for impertinency thereof to this place. 1699Bentley Phal. xv. 486 'Twould be end⁓less..to shew all the silliness and impertinency in the Matter of the Epistles. 1884Law Times LXXVIII. 115/2 Motion that..several parts..of the bill of costs..might be expunged for scandal and impertinency.
b. An instance of this; = impertinence 1 b.
1607–12Bacon Ess., Marriage (Arb.) 266/1 Some..whose thoughtes doe end with themselves, and doe accompt future tymes impertinencyes [edd. 1612, 1625 impertinences]. 1704Addison Italy (1733) 67 All Answers..are looked upon as Impertinencies or Interruptions.
2. The quality of being inappropriate or absurd; = impertinence 2.
a1629Sir R. Dudley (title) A Proposition..to bridle the Impertinency of Parliaments. 1691Hartcliffe Virtues 30 The Impertinency of worldly business is not yet become a burden too heavy for the mind to bear. 1727–41Chambers Cycl. s.v. Astrology, You boast much of the event of a few predictions, which, considering the multitude of those your art has produced, plainly confess its impertinency.
b. An instance of this; = impertinence 2 b.
1589Puttenham Eng. Poesie iii. xix. (Arb.) 212 A very foolish impertinency of speech, and not a figure. a1656Hales Gold. Rem. (1688) 201 Laborious Vanities, and learned Impertinencies. 1710Palmer Proverbs 301 To neglect infancy, and leave children too long under the impertinencies of the baby and hobby-horse. 1742Richardson Pamela IV. 320 What Nursery Impertinencies are these, to trouble a Man with! 1793Cowper Let. 5 Oct., My good intentions towards you..are continually frustrated..by mere impertinencies, such as calls of civility.
3. Insolence; = impertinence 3.
1653Holcroft Procopius, Goth. Wars iii. 106 We are amazed at the impertinency of these Gepædes; who..come here to offer the foulest scorne that can be. a1714Sharp Serm. IV. xviii. (R.), Wit and profaneness are infinitely different things, as likewise is wit and impertinency.
b. An instance of this; = impertinence 3 b.
1628Digby Voy. Medit. (Camden) 58 For some impertinencies and arrogancies did putt my chiefe masters mate out of his place. 1710Lady M. W. Montagu Lett. to Burnet 20 July (1887) II. 4 You have already forgiven me greater impertinencies. 1842Dickens Amer. Notes (1850) 136/1 There they are not the custom, and..would be impertinencies. |