impetuous

What it means

1. Making arbitrary decisions, especially in an impulsive and forceful manner.

   But it was natural, that the impetuous, restless young artist should incline more to excess of strength than of delicacy in his playing.

   1880, John Weeks Moore, “Beethoven, Louis Van”, in Complete Encyclopaedia of Music

   3 more examples

   The shrewd kind confidant used gently to hint the sad fact to the impetuous hero of this piece. The impetuous hero knew this quite well.

   1854, Arthur Pendennis [pseudonym; William Makepeace Thackeray], The Newcomes: Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family, volume (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Bradbury and Evans, […], →OCLC

   The prime minister thought he could sagely steer his impetuous American friends away from actions they would later regret. It turns out they were just playing him for a patsy[.]

   2003 March 16, Terry Jones, “Poor Tony Blair wakes up”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   How these developments might come about and what they will mean for humanity seems far more important to probe than Isaacson’s preferred focus on explaining Musk’s abusive, erratic, impetuous behavior.

   2023 September 24, Sarah Frier, “We Don’t Need Another Antihero”, in The Atlantic

2. Characterized by sudden violence or vehemence.

   […]and the Thunder, / Wing'd with red Lightning and impetuous rage, / Perhaps hath ſpent his ſhafts […]

   1667, John Milton, “Book I”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC

   5 more examples

   For with ſuch puiſſance and impetuous maine / Thoſe Champions broke on them, that forſt the fly, / Like ſcattered Sheepe, whenas the Shepherds ſwaine / A Lyon and a Tigre doth eſpye, / With greedy pace forth ruſhing from the foreſt nye.

   1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book II, Canto IX”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 14, page 311

   He stands, and views in the faint rays Far, far below, the torrent's rising surge, And listens to the wild impetuous roar

   1794, Ann Radcliffe, The Mysteries of Udolpho, vol. II, chapter I

   After being two days the prey of impetuous, varying emotions, Maria began to reflect more calmly on her present situation, for she had actually been rendered incapable of sober reflection, by the discovery of the act of atrocity of which she was the victim.

   1798, Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin, “[Maria: or, The] Wrongs of Woman”, in W[illiam] Godwin, editor, Posthumous Works of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman. […], volume I, London: […] J[oseph] Johnson, […]; and G[eorge,] G[eorge] and J[ohn] Robinson, […], →OCLC, chapter I, page 4

   […] and before breakfast was ready, they had gone through the subject again and again; with the same steady conviction and affectionate counsel on Elinor's side, the same impetuous feelings and varying opinions on Marianne's, as before.

   1811, [Jane Austen], chapter 31, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume III, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC

   "Oh! where, where is my uncle?" cried Elizabeth, darting from her seat as she finished the letter, in eagerness to follow him, with-out losing a moment of the time so precious; but as she reached the door, it was opened by a servant, and Mr. Darcy appeared. Her pale face and impetuous manner made him start […]

   1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], chapter 4, in Pride and Prejudice: […], volume III, London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC

In a sentence

But it was natural, that the impetuous, restless young artist should incline more to excess of strength than of delicacy in his playing.

1880, John Weeks Moore, “Beethoven, Louis Van”, in Complete Encyclopaedia of Music

Where it comes from

1. Latinimpetus“attack, violence”
2. Late Latinimpetuōsus“violent”
3. Old Frenchimpetueux
4. Middle Englishimpetuous
5. Englishimpetuous

From Middle English impetuous, from Old French impetueux, from Late Latin impetuōsus (“violent”), from Latin impetus (“attack, violence”).