importance
(ɪmˈpɔːtəns)
[a. F. importance (1539 in R. Estienne), or ad. med.L. importantia (1496 in Du Cange) = It. importanza, Sp. importancia, f. importans, -tant-em important: see -ance.]
I. 1. a. The fact or quality of being important; the fact of importing or signifying much (or, with qualifying word, of having some degree of import); moment, significance, gravity, weight, consequence.
| 1508 Wolsey in J. Gairdner Lett. Rich. III & Hen. VII, (Rolls) I. 439 [I have l]ernyd n[o th]yng of importance to be [written] to your grace. 1513 More in Grafton Chron. (1568) II. 765 Hee shewed his servauntes that he had tidinges of so great importaunce, that [etc.]. 1531 Elyot Gov. ii. viii, Emploienge treasour..on persones unworthy, or on thynges inconuenient, and of small importaunce. 1586 Leycester Corr. (Camden) 251 A towne of greatest importance. 1651 Hobbes Leviath. ii. xxviii. 161 There is a question to be answered, of much importance. 1773 Observ. State Poor 89 The preservation of health is of not more importance, than the preservation of morals. 1844 H. H. Wilson Brit. India II. 501 A consideration of secondary importance. 1880 C. R. Markham Peruv. Bark xii. 109 There was no bark trade in Peru of any importance. |
b. Personal consequence, consideration, or dignity. (In first quot. humorously as a title.)
| 1678 Dryden Limberham v. i, Pleas. Your hand, sweet moiety. Wood. And heart too my comfortable importance. 1712–14 Pope Rape Lock i. 35 Fairest of mortals..thy own importance know, Nor bound thy narrow views to things below. 1776 Paine Com. Sense (1791) 23 Men who look upon themselves born to reign, and others to obey, soon grow insolent;..their minds are early poisoned by importance. 1874 Green Short Hist. v. §1. 213 His family, though not noble, seems to have been of some importance. |
c. Dignity of style or manner; an air of consequence; pompousness.
| 1607 Barley-Breake (1877) 14 The sacred traine with Musicke take the way, Where, with importance euery rite is done. |
2. † a. An important matter, an affair of consequence (in quot. 1611, with qualifying context, of slight consequence). Obs.
| 1570 Levins Manip. 21/35 Importance, magna res. 1611 Shakes. Cymb. i. iv. 45 It had beene pitty you should haue beene put together, with so mortall a purpose..vpon importance of so slight and triuiall a nature. 1664 Butler Hud. ii. iii. 110 To whom all people, far and near, On deep importances repair. a 1670 Hacket Abp. Williams i. (1692) 14 He searched into the notable particularities of all kingdoms, republics and their churches, with all the importances that hung upon them. |
b. One who is important; an important person.
| 1896 A. Morrison Child of Jago ii. 26 The Importances from the platform came to find the tea. 1907 ‘Mark Twain’ Christian Sci. ii. v. 147 To place the Virgin first, the Saviour second, and Mrs. Eddy third, seems to..make it an ascending scale of Importances, with Mrs. Eddy ranking the other two and holding first place. |
c. An important thing.
| 1938 R. Graves Coll. Poems 129 And old importances came swimming back—Wine, meat, log-fires, a roof over the head. |
† 3. Urgency; importunity; solicitude. Obs.
| 1563–87 Foxe A. & M. (1684) III. 296 The shortness of time, and this said bringers importance is only the let. 1595 Shakes. John ii. i. 7 At our importance hither is he come, To spread his colours boy, in thy behalfe. 1624 Heywood Gunaik. 43 [Stratonica] solicited him, and that with great importance, to select some beautifull ladie whom he best fancied. 1779–81 Johnson Lives, Drake Wks. IV. 389 A pinnace had passed by with sails and oars, and all the appearance of expedition and importance. |
II. † 4. a. = import n. 1; signification, meaning, purport. Obs.
| 1552 Huloet, Importaunce, or meanynge, or signification of wordes. 1563 Foxe A. & M. 706 b, Many more wordes of like importance. 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. v. ii. 20 The wisest beholder..could not say if th' importance were Ioy, or Sorrow. 1626 Jackson Creed viii. xix. §1 The multiplicity or variety of importances or significations of some one single word. 1709 Stanhope Paraphr. IV. 524 They might..change it in common Speech, for another [word], of like Importance but different Character. |
† b. Bearing, consequence. Obs.
| 1691 T. H[ale] Acc. New Invent. 19 This wast [= waste] of Iron-work by Rust, and the ill importance of it, in its consequences. |
III. † 5. ? ‘Means of support’ (Jam.). Obs.
| 1505 Seal of Cause in Pennecuik Blue Blanket (1756) 42 It is weall knawne..that we uphald an altar situate within the Colledge-Kirk of St. Giles..and has nae importance to uphauld the same, but our sober oukleye Penny and upsets. |