a. Now rare. [ad. L. extemporāl-is arising out of the moment, f. ex tempore: see EXTEMPORE. Cf. TEMPORAL.]
1. Done, said or conceived on the spur of the moment; not premeditated or studied beforehand; impromptu; off-hand.
1570. Levins, Manip., 14. Extemporall extemporalis.
1577. Holinshed, Chron., IV. 225. Hir maiesties extemporall oration.
1607. Tourneur, Rev. Trag., III. vi. Aduizing you to … extemporall execution.
1649. Milton, Eikon., xxiv. 492. He … makes a difficulty how the people can joyne thir hearts to extemporal prayers.
1753. Adventurer, No. 81. An extemporal poem in praise of the city.
1836. J. Keble, Sermons, viii. Postscript (1847), 366. The light extemporal way in which many reject it.
1857. De Quincey, R. Bentley, Wks. VII. 114. Bentley sat down and wrote extemporal emendations on three hundred and twenty-three passages in the Fragments.
† b. Of a person: Speaking, able or given to speak, extempore. Obs.
1588. Fraunce, Lawiers Log., I. v. 31 b. An affect of an extemporall Rhetor.
1588. Shaks., L. L. L., I. ii. 189. Assist me some extemporall god of Rime, for I am sure I shall turne Sonnet.
1596. Edward III., IV. iv. 60, H 3. Happily he cannot praie without the booke, I thinke him no diuine extemporall.
1622. Donne, Serm., 15 Sept., 67. Those Preachers … are not ignorant, vnlearned, extemporall men.
1636. B. Jonson, Discov., Wks. (Rtldg.), 742/1. Many foolish things fall from wise men, if they speak in haste, or be extemporal.
† c. Of faculty or habit: Pertaining to, or concerned with, extempore speech or action. Obs.
1573. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 7. M. Lewins extemporal faculti is better then M. Becons is.
a. 1605. Stow, in D’Israeli, Cur. Lit. (1866), 228. He had a wondrous, plentiful, pleasant, extemporal wit.
1624. Wotton, Archit., in Reliq. Wotton. (1685), 67. The Judging must flow from an extemporal Habit.
1642. Bp. Durham, Presentment of Schismatic, 24. Their extemporall faculty wch they bragge of.
† 2. Made for the occasion. Obs.
1612–5. Bp. Hall, Contempl. O. T., XX. ii. Having now erected an extemporall throne.
Hence † Extemporally adv., in an extemporal manner; impromptu. † Extemporalness, the quality of being extemporal; the faculty of speaking extempore.
1577. G. Harvey, Letter-bk. (Camden), 55. A fewe delicate poeticall devises of Mr. G. H. extemporally written by him.
1592. Shaks., Ven. & Ad., 836. She … sings extemporally a wofull dittie.
1656. W. Du Gard, trans. Comenius’ Gate Lat. Unl., § 694. 215. Hee … [is called] Eloquent … especially if hee bee ready even to extemporalness.
1674. A. G., Quest. conc. Oath of Alleg., 31. Any other remedy than what true Reason … will extemporally dictate in such an occasion.
