▪ I. † tiˈmerity Obs.
Also 7 erron. temerity.
[f. timerous, timorous, app. on mistaken analogy of temerity from temerous ‘rash’; it may also sometimes have been a corruption of timidity.
As timerous and temerous ran together in use, so temerity was sometimes put for timerity, as n. of quality from timerous, timorous, as well as from temerous ‘rash’.]
Fear, timidness, timidity.
| 1582 Munday Disc. E. Campion F viij, The great timeritie and unstable opinion of his conscience..would not suffer him to utter it. 1601 Chester Love's Mart. (1878) 8 Nature was struck with pale temeritie, To see the God of thunders lightning eyes. 1618 Latham 2nd Bk. Falconry (1633) 2 Without much timeritie or fearfulnesse. a 1660 Contemp. Hist. Irel. (Ir. Archæol. Soc.) I. 248 Such was the timeritie and cowardize and feare of all men there. |
▪ II. timerity
obs. form of temerity.