untimely
English edit
Etymology edit
From Middle English untymely (also earlier untimliche), equivalent to un- + timely. First attested in the early 13th century.[1][2] Compare Middle Danish utimelig, Old English untídlic (“unreasonable”).[3]
Pronunciation edit
Adjective edit
untimely (comparative untimelier or more untimely, superlative untimeliest or most untimely)
- At an inopportune time.
- Synonyms: inopportune; see also Thesaurus:untimely
- Antonyms: timely, opportune, on time, to time; see also Thesaurus:punctual
- untimely remarks
- Early; premature.
- Synonyms: early, premature; see also Thesaurus:premature
- Antonyms: late, tardy; see also Thesaurus:overdue
- an untimely death
- c. 1779–81, Samuel Johnson, “Savage”, in The Lives of the Most Eminent English Poets, volume 3, published 1794:
- The heroes of literary as well as civil history have been very often no less remarkable for what they have suffered, than for what they have atchieved[sic]; and volumes have been written only to enumerate the miseries of the learned, and relate their unhappy lives, and untimely deaths.
- 1898, Florence Earle Coates, Before the Hour:
- Untimely blossom! Poor, impatient thing, / That, starting rashly from the sheltering mould, / Bravest the peevish wind and sullen cold, / Mistaking thine own ardors for the spring
Synonyms edit
- untimeless (archaic)
Derived terms edit
Translations edit
taking place at an inopportune time
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early; premature
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- The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.
Adverb edit
untimely (comparative more untimely, superlative most untimely)
- Prematurely.
- c. 1606 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Macbeth”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene viii], page 151:
- Tell thee, Macduffe was from his Mothers womb / Untimely ript.
- 1911, James George Frazer, The Golden Bough, volume 10, page 215:
- They light fires under fruit trees to keep the fruit from falling untimely.
- 1916, Florence Earle Coates, In Memory of Caroline Furness Jayne:
- Couldst thou go from us, in thy beauteous June, / Leaving a sense of joy untimely perished, / Of music stilled too soon?
Translations edit
References edit
- ^ “untīmelī, adj.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- ^ “untīmelī, adv.”, in MED Online, Ann Arbor, Mich.: University of Michigan, 2007.
- ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “untimely”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.