a. Not ready. [ R. ] Sterne. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. or a. [ F. impromptu, fr. L. in promptu in readiness, at hand; in in + promptus visibility, readiness, from promptus visible, ready. See Prompt. ] Offhand; without previous study; extemporaneous; extempore; as, an impromptu verse. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Something made or done offhand, at the moment, or without previous study; an extemporaneous composition, address, or remark. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Mus.) A piece composed or played at first thought; a composition in the style of an extempore piece. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Too prompt; too ready or eager; precipitate. -- O`ver*prompt"ness, n. [1913 Webster]

a. [ Compar. Prompter superl. Promptest. ] [ F. prompt, L. promptus, properly, brought forth (to light or view), hence, visible, evident, at hand, ready, quick, -- p. p. of promere to take or bring forth; pro forth + emere to take. See Redeem. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Ready and quick to act as occasion demands; meeting requirements readily; not slow, dilatory, or hesitating in decision or action; responding on the instant; immediate; as, prompt in obedience or compliance; -- said of persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

Very discerning and prompt in giving orders. Clarendon. [ 1913 Webster ]

Tell him I am prompt
To lay my crown at's feet. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

And you, perhaps, too prompt in your replies. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Done or rendered quickly, readily, or immediately; given without delay or hesitation; -- said of conduct; as, prompt assistance. [ 1913 Webster ]

When Washington heard the voice of his country in distress,
his obedience was prompt. Ames. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Easy; unobstructed. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

The reception of the light into the body of the building was very prompt. Sir H. Wotton. [ 1913 Webster ]

Syn. -- Ready; expeditious; quick; agile; alert; brisk; nimble. -- Prompt, Ready, Expeditious. One who is ready is prepared to act at the moment. One who is prompt acts at the moment. One who is expeditious carries through an undertaking with constant promptness. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Com.) A limit of time given for payment of an account for produce purchased, this limit varying with different goods. See Prompt-note. [ 1913 Webster ]

To cover any probable difference of price which might arise before the expiration of the prompt, which for this article [ tea ] is three months. J. S. Mill. [ 1913 Webster ]

v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Prompted; p. pr. & vb. n. Prompting. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

1. To assist or induce the action of; to move to action; to instigate; to incite. [ 1913 Webster ]

God first . . . prompted on the infirmities of the infant world by temporal prosperity. Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. To suggest; to dictate. [ 1913 Webster ]

And whispering angles prompt her golden dreams. Pope. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. To remind, as an actor or an orator, of words or topics forgotten. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The book used by a prompter of a theater. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. One who, or that which, prompts; one who admonishes or incites to action. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One who reminds another, as an actor or an orator, of the words to be spoken next; specifically, one employed for this purpose in a theater. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. promptitudo. See Prompt, a. ] The quality of being prompt; quickness of decision and action when occasion demands; alacrity; as, promptitude in obedience. [ 1913 Webster ]

Men of action, of promptitude, and of courage. I. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a prompt manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ 1913 Webster ]

1. Promptitude; readiness; quickness of decision or action. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Cheerful willingness; alacrity. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Com.) A memorandum of a sale, and time when payment is due, given to the purchaser at a sale of goods. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Of or pertaining to preparation. [ R. ] Bacon. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. promptuarium, fr. promptuarius belonging to distribution, distributing: cf, F. promptuaire. See Prompt, a. ] That from which supplies are drawn; a storehouse; a magazine; a repository. Woodward. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ See Prompt, a. ] Suggestion; incitement; prompting. [ R. ] Shak. Coleridge. [ 1913 Webster ]