peevish

Etymology

From Middle English pevische, pevisse, pevysse, peivesshe, also peyuesshe, peeuish, of obscure origin. Perhaps from Middle English pew, pue (“a plaintive cry, the cry of a bird”), equivalent to pue + -ish. Cognate with Scots pevis, pevess, pevych, pevach (“peevish”), Scots pew, peu (“to cry in a plaintive manner”). See pue. An alternative etymology derives Middle English peyvesshe (“capricious, silly”), as a possible corruption of Latin perversus (“perverted”). The meaning “fretful” develops in the 16th century. A third suggestion links the word to classical Latin expavidus (“startled, shy”) (< ex- + pavidus) via an unrecorded variant with -ai- of Middle French espave (“stray [of animals]; foreign [of persons]; lost property, flotsam”) (first attested 1283 in Old French; Modern French épave). The semantic connection is thought to be the behaviour of stray animals. Compare -ish suffix.

adj

1. Characterized by or exhibiting petty bad temper, bad-tempered, moody, cross.
   I would rather figure things out on my own than ask that peevish librarian for help.
2. Constantly complaining, whining; childishly fretful.
   There were several peevish patients in the doctor's waiting room.
3. Easily annoyed, especially by things that are not important; irritable, querulous.
   At first he was quite peevish. “What's the idea,” he said, “coming and spoiling a man's beauty-sleep? Get out.” 1917, P. G. Wodehouse, “The Mixer”, in The Man With Two Left Feet and Other Stories
4. (obsolete, Northern England) Clever, expert.
   The word peevish among the vulgar of Scotland is used for niggardly, covetous; in the North of England, for witty, subtile. 1710, Thomas Ruddiman in Gawin Douglas, Virgil's Æneis, translated into Scottish verse (new edition), gloss (at cited word)
5. (obsolete, Canada, Northern England) Sharp, piercing, bitter (of the wind); windy, blustery (of the weather).
   […] the ridge […] / […] defends you from the blust'ring north, / And bleak affliction of the peevish east. 1744, John Armstrong, The art of preserving health: A poem, book I, v. 285 ff
   Something has happened to sour February's temper. Such a peevish month. 1927, Lucy Maud Montgomery, Emily's Quest, page 174
6. (chiefly obsolete) Perverse, refractory; headstrong, obstinate; capricious, skittish; (also) coy.
   Not onely foolyshe frowarde and obstinate but also peuysshe, peruerse and indurate. 1539, Coverdale Bible (Cranmer Preface)
7. (obsolete) Silly, senseless, foolish.
8. (obsolete) Beside oneself; out of one's senses; mad.
   Some tremblid, some girnid, some gaspid, some gasid, As people halfe peuysshe, or men that were masyd. 1523, John Skelton, A goodly garlande or chapelet of laurell, page 266
9. (obsolete) Spiteful, malignant, mischievous, harmful.
   In derision of the king, they made certaine peeuishe and mocking rymes which I passe ouer. 1569, chapter 2, in A chronicle at large and meere history of the affayres of Englande and kinges of the same, 1st edition, Richard Grafton, page 176
   This crosse, this peeuish hap, / Strikes dead my spirits like a thunderclap. 1601, John Marston et al., Iacke Drums entertainment, ch. II, sig. D2ᵛ
10. (obsolete) Hateful, distasteful, horrid.
    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. 1563, Thomas Becon, The displaying of the Popish masse (new edition, 1637), p. 299

adv

1. (obsolete) Peevishly.