IMPERTINENCE • DICTIONARY ONE.COM • Definition of Impertinence

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noun

Impertinence n.

The condition or quality of being impertinent; absence of pertinence, or of adaptedness; irrelevance; unfitness.

Conduct or language unbecoming the person, the society, or the circumstances; rudeness; incivility. "We should avoid the vexation and impertinence of pedants who affect to talk in a language not to be understood."

That which is impertinent; a thing out of place, or of no value. "There are many subtile impertinences learned in schools."

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Etymology of 'Impertinence'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Impertinence" Quotes from Famous Books

... fragments of Indian drapery, Lady Jane and Lady Sarah sat angularly and as far from their guests as possible, for they suspected that their house was being made use of as a battle-ground by Mrs. Barton, and were determined to resent the impertinence as far as lay in their power. But Milord continued to speak of indifferent things with urbanity and courtly gestures; and as they descended the staircase, he explained the beauty of his marble statues and ...

— Muslin • George Moore

... for?" said the postmaster, in a tone which Andy considered an aggression upon the sacredness of private life: so Andy thought the coolest contempt he could throw upon the prying impertinence of the postmaster was to ...

— Handy Andy, Volume One - A Tale of Irish Life, in Two Volumes • Samuel Lover

... pathos of Lear's last speech would be an impertinence, but I may add a remark on the speech from the literary point of view. In the simplicity of its language, which consists almost wholly of monosyllables of native origin, composed in very brief sentences of the plainest structure, it presents an extraordinary ...

— Shakespearean Tragedy - Lectures on Hamlet, Othello, King Lear, Macbeth • A. C. Bradley

... without declaiming about the vices of the rich and the misery of the poor; or Mrs. Belfield, without some indelicate eulogy on her son; or Lady Margaret, without indicating jealousy of her husband. Morrice is all skipping, officious impertinence, Mr. Gosport all sarcasm, Lady Honoria all lively prattle, Miss Larolles all silly prattle. If ever Madame D'Arblay aimed at more, we do not think ...

— Critical and Historical Essays, Volume III (of 3) • Thomas Babington Macaulay

... then at last he put into two words—"Do YOU?"—more discrimination than I had ever heard two words contain. Before I had time to deal with that, however, he continued as if with the sense that this was an impertinence to be softened. "Nothing could be more charming than the way you take it, for of course if we're alone together now it's you that are alone most. But I hope," he threw ...

— The Turn of the Screw • Henry James

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