Definition of "peevish"

The follest slouen ondyr heuen, / Prowde, peuiche, lyddyr, and lewde, / Malapert, medyllar, nothyng well thewde, […]The foullest sloven under heaven, / Proud, peevish, lither, and lewd, / Malapert, meddler, nothing well thewed, […]

a. 1530 (date written), John Skelton, “Poems against Garnesche. Skelton Laureate Defendar ageinst Lusty Garnyshe Well Beseen Crystofer Chalangar, et cetera.”, in Alexander Dyce, editor, The Poetical Works of John Skelton: […], volume I, London: Thomas Rodd, […], published 1843, page 130, lines 145–147

What a wretched and peevish fellow is this king of England, to mope with his fat-brained followers so far out of his knowledge!

1599, William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, scene vii]

Why should a man whose blood is warme within, / Sit like his grandsire, cut in Alabaster? / […] And creep into the Iaundies / By beeing peeuish?

c. 1596–1598 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Merchant of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act I, scene i]

[T]he luckless Kitty continued in the parlour repining at her fate in terms as unreasonable as her accent was peevish.

1813 January 27, [Jane Austen], Pride and Prejudice: […], volumes (please specify |volume=I to III), London: […] [George Sidney] for T[homas] Egerton, […]

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

They used to tell one about a kid asking his grumpy old man when they were walking to the park, "What's the name of this flower, Papa?" And the old guy is peevish and he yells, "How should I know? Am I in the milinery business?"

1976 September, Saul Bellow, Humboldt’s Gift, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, page 471

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)

[…] 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

Not onely foolyshe frowarde and obstinate but also peuysshe, peruerse and indurate.

1539, Coverdale Bible (Cranmer Preface)

Why, this it is, to be a peeuish Girle, / That flies her fortune when it followes her.

c. 1590–1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Two Gentlemen of Verona”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act V, scene ii]

Confuſion take ſuch dotage, 'tis but forg'd, / This is your peeuiſh chattering vveake old man.

c. 1626 or 1629–1633 (first performance), [John Ford], ’Tis Pitty Shee’s a Whore […], London: […] Nicholas Okes for Richard Collins, […], published 1633, Act V, signature I2, verso

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

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

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

Be not peeuish fond in great designes.

c. 1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Richard the Third: […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act IV, scene iv]