Both Uses of
impertinent
in
Babbitt
- If a client impertinently wanted him to sell a house which had a cesspool, Babbitt always spoke about it—before accepting the house and selling it.†
Chpt 4 *
- You're keeping the whole car from starting!' he said, and then I saw he was one of these dirty ill-bred hogs that kindness is wasted on, and so I stopped and looked right at him, and I said, 'I—beg—your—pardon, I am not doing anything of the kind,' I said, 'it's the people ahead of me, who won't move up,' I said, 'and furthermore, let me tell you, young man, that you're a low-down, foul-mouthed, impertinent skunk,' I said, 'and you're no gentleman!†
Chpt 10
Definitions:
-
(1)
(impertinent as in: she was impertinent) rude or improperly bold -- especially toward someone more respected
-
(2)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
Much more rarely, "impertinent" may mean: not pertinent (relevant) to the matter under consideration.