Definitions

from The Century Dictionary.

  • In a peevish manner; petulantly; fretfully; with discontent.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • adverb In a peevish manner.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • adverb In a peevish manner or way.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • adverb in a peevish manner

Etymologies

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Examples

  • 'Heavens! said she, peevishly,' is this the gallant, polite Frenchman!

    The Castle of Wolfenbach Eliza 1793

  • The morning was fresh and cool; I threw back the lattice, and presently the room filled with sweet scents from the garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, 'Ellen, shut the window.

    Wuthering Heights Emily Bront�� 1833

  • Instead, Steve Jobs keeps the big picture in mind, as he reveals "peevishly" in a hysterical 2003 New York Timesinterview with Rob Walker at the end of a fascinating examination of the iPod as cultural artifact.

    Dorie Clark: How to Create Thought-Leading Ideas Dorie Clark 2010

  • Instead, Steve Jobs keeps the big picture in mind, as he reveals "peevishly" in a hysterical 2003 New York Timesinterview with Rob Walker at the end of a fascinating examination of the iPod as cultural artifact.

    Dorie Clark: How to Create Thought-Leading Ideas Dorie Clark 2010

  • Instead, Steve Jobs keeps the big picture in mind, as he reveals "peevishly" in a hysterical 2003 New York Timesinterview with Rob Walker at the end of a fascinating examination of the iPod as cultural artifact.

    Dorie Clark: How to Create Thought-Leading Ideas Dorie Clark 2010

  • The morning was fresh and cool; I threw back the lattice, and presently the room filled with sweet scents from the garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, “Ellen, shut the window.

    Wuthering Heights 2002

  • I threw back the lattice, and presently the room filled with sweet scents from the garden; but Catherine called peevishly to me, "Ellen, shut the window.

    Wuthering Heights 1847

  • Reflect upon him, too, in your moments of dissipation, and let his idea controul your indiscretions -- not merely in an hour of contradiction call peevishly upon his name, only to wound the dearest friend you have. "

    A Simple Story Mrs. Inchbald 1787

  • "Ophelia and Daphne not down yet, Flavia?" he asked peevishly, looking up from the latest issue of The British Philatelist, which lay open beside his meat and potatoes.

    Excerpt: The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie by Alan Bradley 2009

  • Most of these things are prescriptive in some broad sense, no? — just not peevishly and snarkily so.

    Robert Hartwell Fiske strikes me as a prig and a bully « Motivated Grammar 2009

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