peevish /ˈpiːvɪʃ/adjective 11adverb 1forms 2 adjective11 •Constantly complaining, especially in a childish way due to insignificant matters; fretful, whiny.Due to the long wait, there were several peevish patients in the doctor’s waiting room. •Quick to become bad-tempered or cross, especially due to insignificant matters; irritable, pettish, petulant.I would rather figure things out on my own than ask that peevish librarian for help. •(Canada, figurative) Of weather: blustery, windy; also, of wind: cold and strong; bitter, sharp.Serene he bears the peevish eastern blast, / And uninfected breaths the mortal South. — 1744 •(no longer used) Foolish, silly.VVhy vvhat a peeuish Foole vvas that of Creet [i.e., Daedalus], / That taught his Sonne [Icarus] the office of a Fovvle, / And yet for all his vvings, the Foole vvas drovvn'd. — 1591 •(no longer used) Obstinately in the wrong; perverse, stubborn.But suche as will persyst styll in theyr wylfulnesse, I must nedes iudge not only folishe, froward and obstynate: but also peuishe, peruerse and indurate. — 1540 •(no longer used) Harmful, injurious; also, mischievous; or malicious, spiteful.Ile home, and starue, this crosse, this peeuish hap, / Strikes dead my spirits like a thunderclap. — 1600 •(no longer used) Impulsive and unpredictable; capricious, fickle.[T]hese women be all suche madde pieuishe elues / They will not be wonne except it please them selues. — 1552 •(no longer used) Coy, modest. •(no longer used) Out of one's mind; mad.The dredfull dinne droue all the rowte on a rowe; / Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid, / As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd. — 1523 •(no longer used) Of a thing: evoking a feeling of distaste, horror, etc.The Lords Supper and your peevish, popish private masse doe agree together like God and the divell, Christ and Beliall, light and darknesse, truth and falsehood, […] — 1563 •(Northern-England, no longer used) Clever, skilful.The word peevish among the vulgar of Scotland is used for niggardly, covetous; in the North of England, for vvitty, subtile. — 1710 adverb1 •(no longer used) Synonym of peevishly (“in a peevish manner: whiningly; irritably, petulantly; etc.”).She was not halfe so wyse / As she was peuysshe nyse. — 1517 formsmore peevish · most peevish
