IMPERTINENCE

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does impertinence mean? 

• IMPERTINENCE (noun)
  The noun IMPERTINENCE has 3 senses:

1. an impudent statement

2. the trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties

3. inappropriate playfulness

  Familiarity information: IMPERTINENCE used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• IMPERTINENCE (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An impudent statement

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

cheek; impertinence; impudence

Hypernyms ("impertinence" is a kind of...):

discourtesy; disrespect (an expression of lack of respect)

Sense 2

Meaning:

The trait of being rude and impertinent; inclined to take liberties

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

cheekiness; crust; freshness; gall; impertinence; impudence; insolence

Hypernyms ("impertinence" is a kind of...):

discourtesy; rudeness (a manner that is rude and insulting)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "impertinence"):

chutzpa; chutzpah; hutzpah ((Yiddish) unbelievable gall; insolence; audacity)

Derivation:

impertinent (improperly forward or bold)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Inappropriate playfulness

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

archness; impertinence; perkiness; pertness; sauciness

Hypernyms ("impertinence" is a kind of...):

fun; playfulness (a disposition to find (or make) causes for amusement)

Derivation:

impertinent (characterized by a lightly pert and exuberant quality)

 Context examples 

You may as well call it impertinence at once.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

“Perhaps,” observed Traddles, “it was mere purposeless impertinence?”

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

I should not have the impertinence to do it again after what you say.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

I was afraid of trampling on every traveller I met, and often called aloud to have them stand out of the way, so that I had like to have gotten one or two broken heads for my impertinence.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

The impertinence of the Eltons, which for a few minutes had threatened to ruin the rest of her evening, had been the occasion of some of its highest satisfactions; and she looked forward to another happy result—the cure of Harriet's infatuation.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

To the former her raillery was probably, as far as it regarded only himself, perfectly indifferent; but to the latter it was at first incomprehensible; and when its object was understood, she hardly knew whether most to laugh at its absurdity, or censure its impertinence, for she considered it as an unfeeling reflection on the colonel's advanced years, and on his forlorn condition as an old bachelor.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Her manners were pronounced to be very bad indeed, a mixture of pride and impertinence; she had no conversation, no style, no beauty.

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)

After about two hours the court retired, and I was left with a strong guard, to prevent the impertinence, and probably the malice of the rabble, who were very impatient to crowd about me as near as they durst; and some of them had the impudence to shoot their arrows at me, as I sat on the ground by the door of my house, whereof one very narrowly missed my left eye.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

Marianne, who had never much toleration for any thing like impertinence, vulgarity, inferiority of parts, or even difference of taste from herself, was at this time particularly ill-disposed, from the state of her spirits, to be pleased with the Miss Steeles, or to encourage their advances; and to the invariable coldness of her behaviour towards them, which checked every endeavour at intimacy on their side, Elinor principally attributed that preference of herself which soon became evident in the manners of both, but especially of Lucy, who missed no opportunity of engaging her in conversation, or of striving to improve their acquaintance by an easy and frank communication of her sentiments.

(Sense and Sensibility, by Jane Austen)

Now be sincere; did you admire me for my impertinence?

(Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen)