Definition of "temerity"

Neyther the spightfull temerity and rashnes of variable fortune, nor the envious hart burning and in iurious hatred of mine enemies shold be able once to damnify me.

1569, Thomas Pearson, trans., "The Second Paradox," in The booke of Marcus Tullius Cicero entituled Paradoxa Stoicorum, T. Marshe (London)

One day when he knew old Lobbs was out, Nathaniel Pipkin had the temerity to kiss his hand to Maria Lobbs.

1836 March – 1837 October, Charles Dickens, chapter 17, in The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1837

Elizabeth trotted through the open door in the dusk, but becoming alarmed at her own temerity, she went quickly out again by another which stood open in the lofty wall of the back court.

1886 May, Thomas Hardy, chapter 21, in The Mayor of Casterbridge: The Life and Death of a Man of Character. […], volumes (please specify |volume=I or II), London: Smith, Elder & Co., […]

Terror seized me, a horror of my temerity.

1895–1897, H[erbert] G[eorge] Wells, The War of the Worlds, London: William Heinemann, published 1898, (please specify the page number(s))

I am surprised that you, sir, a man of letters yourself, should have the temerity so to interrupt the progress of science.

1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, chapter 21, in The Return of Tarzan‎, A. C. McClurg

Draper, dear lad, had the illusion of an "intellectual sympathy" between them.... Draper's temerities would always be of that kind.

1910 Sept, Edith Wharton, “The Blond Beast”, in Scribner's Magazine, volume 48

He had very nearly been guilty of the temerity of arrogating to himself another title in the presence of those he most respected.

1820, James Fennimore Cooper, chapter 30, in Precaution

That's jejune? You have the temerity to say that I'm talking to you out of jejunosity? I am one of the most june people in all of the Russias!

1975, Woody Allen, Love and Death, spoken by Boris (Woody Allen)