impudence
(ˈɪmpjʊdəns)
Also 4–5 in-.
[ad. L. impudēntia shamelessness, n. of quality f. impudēns impudent: see -ence. Impud-ence has the form of suffix derived through OF., while impudency has that formed directly from L.; but F. impudence is recorded only from 1539 (Hatz.-Darm.).]
The quality or fact of being impudent.
† 1. Shamelessness; immodesty, indelicacy. Obs.
| c 1386 Chaucer Pars. T. ¶317 [Twigs of Pride] There is..Arrogance. Inpudence [v.r. Impudence]..Insolence..and many another twig. 1406 Hoccleve La Male regle 62 My lustes blynde han causid thee to varie Fro me thurgh my folie and inpudence. 1601 Shakes. All's Well ii. i. 173 King. Vpon thy certainty and confidence, What dar'st thou venter? Hell. Taxe of impudence, A strumpets boldnesse, a divulged shame. 1682 Hereford Dioces. Reg. 9 Oct., This deponent, blushing to see soe much impudence betwixt the said persons, immediatly went out of the same Chamber. 1712 J. Digby tr. Epicurus' Mor. 37 'Tis very well known, that Crates and Diogenes have made profession of Beastly Impudence, even in public places. |
2. Shameless effrontery; insolent disrespect, insolence; unabashed presumption.
| 1611 Shakes. Wint. T. iii. ii. 57, I ne're heard yet, That any of these bolder Vices wanted Lesse Impudence to gaine⁓say what they did, Then to performe it first. 1656–9 B. Harris Parival's Iron Age (ed. 2) 26 The impudence of a certain Monk called Tetzel, exceeded so farre, as to presume to sell the Indulgences. 1697 Dryden Virg. Georg. ii. 721 Some with Impudence invade the Court. 1715 De Foe Fam. Instruct. i. iv. (1841) I. 73 Who will have the impudence to hinder us? 1838 Dickens Nich. Nick. xiii, ‘Confound his impudence!’ muttered Squeers. 1884 Pae Eustace 69 He gave me a deal of impudence..just now. |
b. with an and pl. A piece of impudence.
| 1885 T. Mozley Remin. Towns etc. I. 413 Any kind of head-covering was a weakness, or an impudence. |
c. Applied to an impudent person.
| 1671 Dryden Even. Love ii. 20 Peace, impudence, and see my face no more. |
3. In a good or neutral sense: Freedom from shamefastness; cool confidence.
| 1619 Fletcher, etc. False One iv. iii, Off, my dejected looks, and welcome impudence! My daring shall be deity, to save me. 1688 Shadwell Sqr. Alsatia ii. i, Learned lawyer of little practice, for want of impudence. 1692 Dryden St. Euremont's Ess. 133, I..will tell you with the utmost impudence that I esteem much more his Person, than his Works. 1824 W. Irving T. Trav. I. 259, I had not enterprise nor impudence enough to venture from my concealment. |