peevish

Etymology
From, , , , also , , of obscure origin. Perhaps from, , equivalent to. Cognate with 🇨🇬,, , , 🇨🇬,. See.

An alternative etymology derives Middle English, as a possible corruption of. The meaning “fretful” develops in the 16th century.

A third suggestion links the word to classical Latin (<  + ) via an unrecorded variant with -ai- of  (first attested 1283 in ; Modern 🇨🇬). The semantic connection is thought to be the behaviour of stray animals. Compare suffix.

Adjective

 * 1) Characterized by or exhibiting petty bad temper, bad-tempered, moody, cross.
 * 2) Constantly complaining, whining; childishly fretful.
 * 3) Easily annoyed, especially by things that are not important; irritable, querulous.
 * 4)  Clever, expert.
 * 5) * 1710, Thomas Ruddiman in Gawin Douglas, Virgil's Æneis, translated into Scottish verse (new edition), gloss (at cited word):
 * The word peevish among the vulgar of Scotland is used for niggardly, covetous; in the North of England, for witty, subtile.
 * 1)  Sharp, piercing, bitter (of the wind); windy, blustery (of the weather).
 * 2)  Perverse, refractory; headstrong, obstinate; capricious, skittish; (also) coy.
 * 3) * 1539, Coverdale Bible (Cranmer Preface):
 * Not onely foolyshe frowarde and obstinate but also peuysshe, peruerse and indurate.
 * 1)  Silly, senseless, foolish.
 * 2)  Beside oneself; out of one's senses; mad.
 * 3)  Spiteful, malignant, mischievous, harmful.
 * 4) * 1601, John Marston et al., Iacke Drums entertainment, ch. II, sig. D2v:
 * This crosse, this peeuish hap, / Strikes dead my spirits like a thunderclap.
 * 1)  Hateful, distasteful, horrid.
 * 2) * 1563, Thomas Becon, The displaying of the Popish masse (new edition, 1637), p. 299:
 * The Lords Supper and your peevish, popish private masse doe agree together..as the common proverbe is, like harpe and harrow, or like the hare and the hound.
 * 1) * 1539, Coverdale Bible (Cranmer Preface):
 * Not onely foolyshe frowarde and obstinate but also peuysshe, peruerse and indurate.
 * 1)  Silly, senseless, foolish.
 * 2)  Beside oneself; out of one's senses; mad.
 * 3)  Spiteful, malignant, mischievous, harmful.
 * 4) * 1601, John Marston et al., Iacke Drums entertainment, ch. II, sig. D2v:
 * This crosse, this peeuish hap, / Strikes dead my spirits like a thunderclap.
 * 1)  Hateful, distasteful, horrid.
 * 2) * 1563, Thomas Becon, The displaying of the Popish masse (new edition, 1637), p. 299:
 * The Lords Supper and your peevish, popish private masse doe agree together..as the common proverbe is, like harpe and harrow, or like the hare and the hound.
 * This crosse, this peeuish hap, / Strikes dead my spirits like a thunderclap.
 * 1)  Hateful, distasteful, horrid.
 * 2) * 1563, Thomas Becon, The displaying of the Popish masse (new edition, 1637), p. 299:
 * The Lords Supper and your peevish, popish private masse doe agree together..as the common proverbe is, like harpe and harrow, or like the hare and the hound.

Translations

 * Bulgarian: ,
 * Dutch:
 * Finnish: mariseva
 * French: ,
 * German: quengelig,, , ,
 * Hungarian: ,
 * Irish: cantalach, aingí
 * Italian: ,
 * Latin: morosus
 * Old English: gnorn
 * Russian: ,
 * Scottish Gaelic: crosta, gruamach, gearanach, dranndanach
 * Spanish:, , , ,

Adverb

 * 1)  Peevishly.