Dictionary definitions
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peevish
From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:
Peevish \Pee"vish\, a. [OE. pevische; of uncertain origin, perh.
from a word imitative of the noise made by fretful children +
-ish.]
1. Habitually fretful; easily vexed or fretted; hard to
please; apt to complain; querulous; petulant. "Her peevish
babe." --Wordsworth.
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She is peevish, sullen, froward. --Shak.
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2. Expressing fretfulness and discontent, or unjustifiable
dissatisfaction; as, a peevish answer.
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3. Silly; childish; trifling. [Obs.]
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To send such peevish tokens to a king. --Shak.
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Syn: Querulous; petulant; cross; ill-tempered; testy;
captious; discontented. See Fretful.
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