mettlesome

[ met-l-suhm ]

adjective

1. spirited; courageous.

Word History and Origins

Origin of mettlesome¹

First recorded in 1655–65; mettle + -some ¹

Example Sentences

I know no more mettlesome horse to ride on ahead of the King and in the beard of those city clowns.

From Project Gutenberg

The horse was mettlesome and high-spirited, and the sight of Perry's motor-cycle sent the animal leaping toward the roadside.

From Project Gutenberg

Socks, the most restive and mettlesome of the horses, started and whinnied as burning leaves struck him.

From Project Gutenberg

Bernardino led him to a pavilion where a number of pleasure-seekers were gathered and selected a sleigh and two mettlesome horses.

From Project Gutenberg

Quesada selected the most mettlesome and leaped into the deep saddle.

From Project Gutenberg