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Definition
easily irritated or annoyed- He reached for a glass while the faun gave his shoes a peevish glance.Henry H. Neff -- The Hound of Rowan
- Reflecting on Sophie's—and for that matter, Nathan's—loving and noble response to music, that peevish, vulgar utterance made my stomach turn over.William Styron -- Sophie's Choice
- " After a few moments Cal said peevishly, "I wish you'd get on with your lecture.John Steinbeck -- East of Eden
- "I've been sick, I told you," he said, peevishly, almost resenting her excessive pity.Theodore Dreiser -- Sister Carrie
- He seemed to look down on Phaedrus with womanish peevishness as a spoiler of what should have been a nice experience.Robert M. Pirsig -- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance
- Why, this it is to be a peevish girl That flies her fortune when it follows her.William Shakespeare -- The Two Gentlemen of Verona
- 'He isn't doing it now,' said Rumfoord peevishly.Kurt Vonnegut -- Slaughterhouse-Five
- The cold seemed to rouse her a little and she looked around peevishly, shivering.Patrick Rothfuss -- The Name of the Wind
- A peevish school boy, worthless of such honour, Join'd with a masker and a reveller!William Shakespeare -- Julius Caesar
- With some peevish exclamation he looked up at Cherry, who remained impassive.Donna Tartt -- The Goldfinch
- There, you see," he said peevishly: "I'm even afraid to make a positive statement.Norton Juster -- The Phantom Tollbooth
- Oh, she's fine," I say peevishly.Suzanne Collins -- The Hunger Games
- He had lost his peevishness, and could hide his indifference to people and his interest in food.E.M. Forster -- Howards End
- Began to roll and complain like a peevish world on a grumble.Zora Neale Hurston -- Their Eyes Were Watching God
- TYRONE With drunken peevishness.Eugene O'Neill -- Long Day's Journey into Night
- Yet, he assured her, he was neither "fretful nor peevish."David McCullough -- John Adams
- "He called me boy," Joffrey said peevishly, sounding younger than his years.George R.R. Martin -- A Game of Thrones
- Well, be may chance to do some good on her: A peevish self-will'd harlotry it is.William Shakespeare -- Romeo and Juliet
- "You won't lose Katerina Ivanovna, you may be sure, she'll come to you herself since she has run out," he added peevishly.Fyodor Dostoyevsky -- Crime and Punishment
- "Dearie, you aren't going to go and get peevish, are you?"Sinclair Lewis -- Babbitt
(Editor's note: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means state or degree of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.)
(Editor's note: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means state or degree of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.)
(Editor's note: The suffix "-ness" converts an adjective to a noun that means state or degree of. This is the same pattern you see in words like darkness, kindness, and coolness.)