[a. L. phrase ex tempore lit. ‘out of the time.’]
A. adv.
1. At the moment, without premeditation or preparation; at first sight; off-hand. Now usually with reference to speech, composition, or musical performance. To speak extempore in present use often merely means to speak without notes, or without reading from manuscript. To pray extempore is opposed to using a set form of prayer.
a. 1553. Udall, Royster D., II. i. (Arb.), 32. Yea and extempore will he dities compose.
1588. Babington, Exp. Lord’s Pr., 175. Afterward … he … began to preach extempore.
1594. Plat, Jewell-ho., III. 29. A speedie … drinke which trauailers may make for themselves (ex tempore) when they are distressed for want of good Beer.
1642. Prince Rupert’s Declarat., 2. Noblemen … could then fight so valiantly ex tempore, not valuing their lives.
a. 1688. Bunyan, Wks., II. 677. It is at this day wonderful common, for men to pray Ex-tempore … To pray by a Book … is now out of fashion.
1697. Collier, Ess. Mor. Subj., I. 127. I don’t like a Man that can hate at first Sight, and kill Extempore?
1752. Phil. Trans., 11 June. [The tackle and pullies] … being easily … applied ex tempore as occasion requires.
1756. Lady M. W. Montague, Lett., xcviii. IV. 81. I wrote, extempore, on the back of the song, some stanzas, that went perfectly well to the tune.
1837. Mrs. Carlyle, Lett., I. 72. He proposes to speak these lectures extempore.
a. 1845. Hood, Open Question, ix. He played extempore as well As certain wild Itinerants on Sunday.
1847. Grote, Greece (1862), III. xxxvi. 289. The right expedient seemed to flash upon his mind extempore.
1866. G. Macdonald, Ann. Q. Neighb., xi. (1878), 209. I always preach extempore.
† 2. On the instant; at once; immediately. Obs.
1593. Nashe, Four Lett. Confut., 65. You shall see me cast a figure for him extempore.
1604. Meeting of Gallants at Ordinarie, C 4. The body must be remoued … Extempore: it would infect all the Ayre round about else.
1663. J. Spencer, Prodigies, Pref. I’d yeeld extempore my breath.
† 3. To live extempore: to live ‘from hand to mouth.’ Obs.
1679. J. Goodman, Penit. Pardoned, II. i. (1713), 146. When a man lives not ex tempore, but premeditates.
1728. T. Sheridan, Persius, iii. (1739), 47. To live extempore without any Regard to the future.
1794. R. J. Sulivan, View Nat., IV. 58. There are too many in the world, indeed, who seemn to live extempore … being immersed only in present matters.
B. adj.
1. Arising out of the moment; casual, occasional; sudden, unprepared for. Now only of personal actions (cf. 2).
1639. Fuller, Holy War, V. xiv. (1840), 267. It was … an extempore water, flowing from the snow which melted on hills.
1679. J. Goodman, Penit. Pardoned, II. ii. (1713), 174. It was but a flash, an extempore motion.
a. 1716. South, Wks., IV. 50. To make the salvation of an immortal soul, such a slight, extempore business.
1755. Young, Centaur, v. Wks. 1757, IV. 240. Shall we … leap plumb into the jaws of extempore death?
1809. W. Irving, Knickerb. (1861), 150. He was somewhat subject to extempore bursts of passion.
1840. Hood, Up the Rhine, 228. Markham’s extempore championship of the twelve tribes.
2. Of a discourse, etc.: Composed, spoken, performed or acted at the moment, without premeditation or preparation. Now usually understood to mean: Without the assistance of notes, or without reading.
c. 1637. B. Jonson, Leges Convivales, Wks. (Rtldg.), 727. Let no poetaster command Another extempore verses to make.
1665. Wither, Lord’s Prayer, Preamb. There is in many, an excellent gift of extempore vocal Prayer.
a. 1704. Locke, Paraphr. 1 Cor. xiv. note Wks. 1714, III. 199. Their singing … was of extempore hymns by the impulse of the Spirit.
1756. Cibber, Apol. (ed. 4), II. 112. Extempore farces or dialogues continued till they were displaced by the exhibition of the mysteries.
1795. Mason, Ch. Mus., i. 54. Voluntaries … continue to be always extempore productions.
1837. J. H. Newman, Par. Serm. (1839), I. xx. 301. To be present at extempore prayer, is to hear prayers.
1841. D’Israeli, Amen. Lit. (1867), 292. The boy … acted an extempore part of his own invention.
1844. Stanley, Arnold, I. iii. 141. His [Dr. Arnold’s] power of extempore translation into English.
b. Of speakers, performers.
1791–1823. D’Israeli, Cur. Lit. (1866), 226/2. This accomplished extempore actor.
1886. Beeton’s Complete Orator, II. 122. Tillotson failed altogether as an extempore preacher.
3. Contrived for the occasion, makeshift.
1694. F. Bragge, Disc. on Parables, I. 7. To … have an extempore superficial religion.
1806–7. J. Beresford, Miseries Hum. Life (1825), I. X. xxi. 216. Dinner dressed by the housemaid, with extempore spits, saucepans, &c.
1823. Bentham, Not Paul, 347. A sort of mixed and extempore judicatory.
1856. Miss Mulock, J. Halifax, II. iii. 61. John lay on … an extempore sofa.
† C. sb. Extempore composition, speech or performance; an impromptu, improvisation. Obs.
1598. B. Jonson, Ev. Man in Hum., V. A poet! I will challenge him my selfe presently, at ex tempore.
1610. Histrio-m., I. 127. Post. We can all sing and say, And so (with practise) soone may learn to play. Inc. True, could our action answer your extempore.
1660. Pepys, Diary, 6 July. W. H. and I did sing extempores.
1737. Common Sense (1738), I. 312. Anagrams … and ex Tempores are all their own.
1798. Wolcott (P. Pindar), Tales of Hoy, Wks. 1812, IV. 410. The extempore, the extempore on the Flys, or you shan’t have your Passage for nothing.
1813. Scott, Trierm., II. Interl. at end, ii. Such may hither secret stray, To labour an extempore.
1815. W. H. Ireland, Scribbleomania, 49, note. A specimen of Mr. Pratt’s extempore.
