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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread peremptory #114919 11/02/2003 4:50 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 I questioned the use of this word a couple months ago, when it was used to describe a young boy. I am unable to grasp its meaning here: "In fact, a couple of very good country agencies happening to come up to town, at the same time, an agreeable little party had been got together to meet them, comprising Mr. Snicks, the Life Office Secretary, Mr. Prosee, the eminent counsel, three solicitors, one commissioner of bankrupts, a special pleader from the Temple, a small-eyed peremptory young gentleman, his pupil, who had written a lively book about the law of demises, with a vast quantity of marginal notes and references; and several other eminent and distinguished personages." peremptory [pə'rɛmptərý] adjective 1 urgent or commanding example: a peremptory ring on the bell 2 not able to be remitted or debated; decisive 3 positive or assured in speech, manner, etc.; dogmatic 4 (Law) a admitting of no denial or contradiction; precluding debate b obligatory rather than permissive [ETYMOLOGY: 16th Century: from Anglo-Norman peremptorie, from Latin peremptorius decisive, from perimere to take away completely, from per- (intensive) + emere to take] per'emptorily adverb(ial) per'emptoriness noun Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: peremptory #114920 11/03/2003 7:03 AM Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Bingley Carpal Tunnel Bingley Carpal Tunnel Joined: Apr 2000 Posts: 3,065 Jakarta Your definition no. 3 would seem a very plausible candidate. Bingley Bingley Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: peremptory #114921 11/03/2003 7:44 PM Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... Wordwind Carpal Tunnel Wordwind Carpal Tunnel Joined: Sep 2001 Posts: 6,296 Piedmont Region of Virginia, U... And here are the definitions I liked from MW, wwh. I remember well that discussion here on AWAD: 3 a : characterized by often imperious or arrogant self-assurance <how insolent of late he is become, how proud, how peremptory -- Shakespeare> b : indicative of a peremptory attitude or nature : HAUGHTY <a peremptory tone> <peremptory disregard of an objection> Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: peremptory #114922 11/04/2003 12:02 AM Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada Zed Pooh-Bah Zed Pooh-Bah Joined: Aug 2002 Posts: 2,154 British Columbia, Canada I would assume def. 3 is the one but it doesn't sound like a particularly pleasant little party to me. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: peremptory #114923 11/04/2003 12:14 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Dear WW: I remember it too. But dictionaries online were not so easy to find then, particularly ones that gave obsolete definitions. Wonderful how new resources keep appearing. Just the other day I found a new and better source for French words. Also there is now a lot more German things. Actually that usage of "peremptory" is a sort of crypto-ellipsis: it only makes sense if you mentally supply the word "manner" or some similar word. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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