Peremptory Meaning
/pəˈɹɛmptəɹi/Definition, CEFR level C1, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
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Definition
adjPrecluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal
adjOf a date or deadline, absolutely requiring compliance or attendance; brooking no further delay; proceeding whether a party attends or not; final.
Sentence Examples
There was no point in arguing after such a peremptory command.
NB. This saying is a bit peremptory.
Synonyms & Antonyms
Synonyms:
Antonyms:
CEFR Practice Quiz
The manager issued a ____ command immediately after the meeting that no one dared to question.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The manager issued a ____ order that left no room for discussion or negotiation among the staff.
Word Origin & History
From Anglo-Norman peremptorie, parentorie et al. (Modern French péremptoire), and its source, Latin peremptōrius (“deadly; precluding debate, decisive”), from perimō (“destroy, thwart”), from per- (“thorough”) + emō (“to obtain, buy”).
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"there is no reason but if any of the outlawries be indeed without error, but it should be a peremptory plea to the person in a writ of error, as well as in any other action."
— 1596, Francis Bacon, Maxims of the Law, section II:
"He marched under a placard reading "End Bossiness Now" but decided it was a little too peremptory, not quite British, so changed the slogan on subsequent badges, to "End Bossiness Soon.""
— 2003, Andrew Marr, The Guardian, 6 Jan 03:
"Upon the other hand, there are a great many people who, having no private property of their own, and being always on the brink of sheer starvation, are compelled to do the work of beasts of burden, to do work that is quite uncongenial to them, and to which they are forced by the peremptory, unreasonable, degrading Tyranny of want."
— 1891, Oscar Wilde, The Soul of Man Under Socialism:
"[…] less surprising than that he had been depressed by a book. Something was making him nibble at the edge of stale ideas as if his sturdy physical egotism no longer nourished his peremptory heart."
— 1925, F[rancis] Scott Fitzgerald, chapter 1, in The Great Gatsby, New York, N.Y.: Charles Scribner’s Sons, published 1953, →ISBN, →OCLC:
"Though today (surveying that yellowing document) I shudder at the peremptory tone of the instructions I gave, Alastair - in that same volume in which I get chastised for my coverage of the Macmillan rally - was generous enough to remark that my memorandum became 'an office classic'."
— 1999 January 2, Anthony Howard, The Guardian, section 99:
Explore More C1 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
The manager issued a ____ command immediately after the meeting that no one dared to question.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
The manager issued a ____ order that left no room for discussion or negotiation among the staff.