Adjective

(en adjective)

(legal) Precluding debate or expostulation; not admitting of question or appeal; positive; absolute; decisive; conclusive; final.

* 1596 , Francis Bacon, Maxims of the Law , II:

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.

Positive in opinion or judgment; absolutely certain, overconfident, unwilling to hear any debate or argument (especially in a pejorative sense); dogmatic.

* 2003 , Andrew Marr, The Guardian , 6 Jan 03:

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."

(obsolete) Firmly determined, resolute; obstinate, stubborn.

Accepting no refusal or disagreement; imperious, dictatorial.

*

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.

* 1999 , Anthony Howard, The Guardian , 2 Jan 99:

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'.

Adjective

(er)

(label) Rapid and without delay.

(=hurry up)

(label) Irritable.

(label) Tidy; well-dressed; sharp.

Chilly, brisk, sharp.

*

, title=(The Celebrity), chapter=8 , passage=The day was cool and snappy for August, and the Rise all green with a lavish nature. Now we plunged into a deep shade with the boughs lacing each other overhead, and crossed dainty, rustic bridges over the cold trout-streams, the boards giving back the clatter of our horses' feet: