importune

• POS: Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: im=por=tune

CIDE DICTIONARY

importune, 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.].

•  Inopportune; unseasonable.  [1913 Webster]
•  Troublesome; vexatious; persistent; urgent; hence, vexatious on account of untimely urgency or pertinacious solicitation.  [1913 Webster]

  "And their importune fates all satisfied."  [1913 Webster]

  "Of all other affections it [envy] is the most importune and continual."  [1913 Webster]

importune, v. t. [From Importune, a.: cf. F. importuner.].

•  To request or solicit, with urgency; to press with frequent, unreasonable, or troublesome application or pertinacity; hence, to tease; to irritate; to worry.  [1913 Webster]

  "Their ministers and residents here have perpetually importuned the court with unreasonable demands."  [1913 Webster]
•  To import; to signify.  Spenser.  [1913 Webster]

importune, v. i. 

 To require; to demand.  [1913 Webster]
"We shall write to you,
As time and our concernings shall importune."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

importune, v.tr.
1 solicit (a person) pressingly.
2 solicit for an immoral purpose.

Etymology

F importuner or med.L importunari (as IMPORTUNATE)

THESAURUS

importune

advocate, aggravating, annoying, appeal, apply pressure, approach, beg, beseech, beset, besiege, blandish, bothering, bothersome, bug, buttonhole, cajole, call on, call upon, coax, crave, disturbing, dun, entreat, exasperating, exert pressure, exhort, galling, harassing, high-pressure, implore, importunate, insist, insist upon, invoke, irking, irksome, irritating, jawbone, lobby, make a pass, make advances, make an overture, nag, nag at, overture, pesky, pester, pestering, pestiferous, pestilent, pestilential, plague, plaguesome, plaguey, plaguing, plead, plead with, ply, pray, press, pressure, proposition, provoking, push, recommend, soft-soap, solicit, supplicate, sweet-talk, tease, teasing, throw a pass, tiresome, tormenting, troublesome, troubling, urge, vexatious, vexing, wearisome, wheedle, work on, worrisome, worrying

ROGET THESAURUS

importune

Request

VB request, ask, beg, crave, sue, pray, petition, solicit, invite, pop the question, make bold to ask, beg leave, beg a boon, apply to, call to, put to, call upon, call for, make a request, address a request, prefer a request, put up a request, make a prayer, address a prayer, prefer a prayer, put up a prayer, make a petition, address a petition, prefer a petition, put up a petition, make application, make a requisition, ask trouble, ask one for, claim, offer up prayers, whistle for, beg hard, entreat, beseech, plead, supplicate, implore, conjure, adjure, obtest, cry to, kneel to, appeal to, invoke, evoke, impetrate, imprecate, ply, press, urge, beset, importune, dun, tax, clamor for, cry aloud, cry for help, fall on one's knees, throw oneself at the feet of, come down on one's marrowbones, beg from door to door, send the hat round, go a begging, mendicate, mump, cadge, beg one's bread, dance attendance on, besiege, knock at the door, bespeak, canvass, tout, make interest, court, seek, bid for, publish the banns.

Painfulness

VB cause pain, occasion pain, give pain, bring pain, induce pain, produce pain, create pain, inflict pain, pain, hurt, wound, pinch, prick, gripe, pierce, lancinate, cut, hurt the feelings, wound the feelings, grate upon the feelings, grate upon the nerves, jar upon the feelings, wring the heart, pierce the heart, lacerate the heart, break the heart, rend the heart, make the heart bleed, tear the heart strings, rend the heart strings, draw tears from the eyes, sadden, make unhappy, plunge into sorrow, grieve, fash, afflict, distress, cut up, cut to the heart, displease, annoy, incommode, discompose, trouble, disquiet, faze, feaze, feeze, disturb, cross, perplex, molest, tease, tire, irk, vex, mortify, wherret, worry, plague, bother, pester, bore, pother, harass, harry, badger, heckle, bait, beset, infest, persecute, importune, wring, harrow, torment, torture, bullyrag, put to the rack, put to the question, break on the wheel, rack, scarify, cruciate, crucify, convulse, agonize, barb the dart, plant a dagger in the breast, plant a thorn in one's side, irritate, provoke, sting, nettle, try the patience, pique, fret, rile, tweak the nose, chafe, gall, sting to the quick, wound to the quick, cut to the quick, aggrieve, affront, enchafe, enrage, ruffle, sour the temper, give offense, maltreat, bite, snap at, assail, smite, sicken, disgust, revolt, nauseate, disenchant, repel, offend, shock, stink in the nostrils, go against the stomach, turn the stomach, make one sick, set the teeth on edge, go against the grain, grate on the ear, stick in one's throat, stick in one's gizzard, rankle, gnaw, corrode, horrify, appal, appall, freeze the blood, make the flesh creep, make the hair stand on end, make the blood curdle, make the blood run cold, make one shudder, haunt the memory, weigh on the heart, prey on the heart, weigh on the mind, prey on the mind, weigh on the spirits, prey on the spirits, bring one's gray hairs with sorrow to the grave, add a nail to one's coffin.