puckishness

He signed a contract to make his U.S. debut at the San Francisco Opera in September 1977 but in February sent a withdrawal letter to the opera's director saying, with typical puckishness or perversity, that the debut would conflict with his son's dentist appointment.

The Disappearing Maestro Norman Lebrecht 2011

But McGregor, who shows some of his inate British puckishness to very good effect in the otherwise overrated Ghost Writer, here has gone back to the dark side of the force.

Archive 2010-05-01 The Brillig Blogger 2010

But McGregor, who shows some of his inate British puckishness to very good effect in the otherwise overrated Ghost Writer, here has gone back to the dark side of the force.

Before we Kick Ass The Brillig Blogger 2010

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Breaking: Hillary, Webb Demand Hearings On Pentagon's Iraq Withdrawal Planning 2009

The puckishness that would lead a major presidential candidate to tell that story runs deep.

'White Tornado' 2008

He has a puckishness, sense of humour and energy inside him which remind me of Dan…

New JOURNEY for the Wizard | Obsessed With Film 2008

In the question, in the attitude with which it was asked, there was a flicker of the puckishness that had always characterized McHenry in the past.

Double or Nothing Peter David 1999

For once there was no puckishness in his expression as he examined Toni's face, drained by the toll the past week had taken.

River Of Desire Taylor, Abra 1982

If this sounds like a lot of characters already, I haven't even mentioned the fringe blogger (a lovely-to-hate Jude Law), the vaccine hunters (a standout Jennifer Ehle and a dead-in-the-face Demetri Martin), or the virologist played, with scene-stealing puckishness, by Elliott Gould.

Slate Magazine Forrest Wickman 2011

There's a puckishness to him - particularly if pictured alongside near-contemporaries Michael Gambon, Derek Jacobi, Ian McKellen - which, despite those river-bed wrinkles, lends an impression of youth.

The Guardian World News Catherine Shoard 2011