adjective
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fretful or irritable
a peevish child
-
obsolete perverse
Synonym Usage
See cross.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of peevish
1350–1400; Middle English pevysh of unknown origin
Explanation
When you're peevish, you're easily irritated and grumpy. Everything seems to get under your skin. Know someone who always seems annoyed, grumpy, cranky, or irritated? That person is peevish. Some people are peevish in general, but most people can be peevish about certain subjects — we all have a pet peeve. Lots of people get peevish about language: like using the word like all the time as verbal filler. Being peevish is almost always considered a form of pettiness — it's not a good thing. When you're peevish, you're not really looking at the big picture.
Vocabulary lists containing peevish
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Peevish Peggy seemed to be fully as frightened as Buster himself.
From The Tale of Buster Bumblebee by Smith, Harry L.
"Peevish peppers, but I'm a tenderfoot," grunted Bud.
From Ted Strong in Montana With Lariat and Spur by Taylor, Edward C.
Aw'll simply call her Peevish Poll, That name suits to a dot; But if shoo thowt 'twor meant for her, Yo bet, aw'st get it hot.
From Yorkshire Lyrics Poems written in the Dialect as Spoken in the West Riding of Yorkshire. To which are added a Selection of Fugitive Verses not in the Dialect by Hartley, John
Peevish and fretful oft we are— Ah, no—that cannot be: Of our blind eyes he is the star, Without him, what were we?
From Hindu literature : Comprising The Book of good counsels, Nala and Damayanti, The Ramayana, and Sakoontala by Arnold, Edwin, Sir
Peevish, fretful, spoiled by the flattery of fools, he is incapable of taking care of himself under the conditions in which he finds himself.
From The Root of Evil by Dixon, Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
