| 释义 |
peevishness|ˈpiːvɪʃnɪs|
[f. as prec. + -ness.]
The quality of being peevish.
†1. Silliness, foolishness, folly; madness. Obs.
1523Skelton Garl. Laurel 637 With a pellit of peuisshenes they had suche a stroke. 1540R. Hyrde tr. Vives' Instr. Chr. Wom. ii. ix. (1557), The more wee mocke you..and geue vnto you aboundantly that peuishenes [ineptias illas], which you call honour. 1552Huloet, Peuishnes, insania. 1586A. Day Eng. Secretary ii. (1625) 45 Were the peeuishnesse of my conceits correspondent to those vaine-glorious humours of yours.
†2. Perverse, refractory, obstinate, or spiteful character or behaviour; malignity, perversity. Obs.
1468Paston Lett. II. 326 To be depryved de omni beneficio ecclesiastico for symony, lechory, perjory, and doubble variable pevyshnesse. 1582G. Martin Discov. Corrupt. To Rdr. §11 Why do they change the title, striking out S. Paules name..? what an heretical peeuishnes is this. 1601F. Godwin Bps. Eng. 223 [A] sumptuous toombe..which by the barbarous and doltish peeuishnes of some body, is pittifully defaced. 1664H. More Myst. Iniq. ii. ii. xxii. 468 Undoubtedly our Heroical Reformers did not..act out of peevishness and spight, and please their own humour and impetuosity of spirit.
3. Disposition to be vexed at trifles; moroseness, querulousness; fretfulness, petty or childish ill-temper.
1561T. Norton Calvin's Inst. iv. xx. §29 Parents shew themselves so hard..that with their peeuishnesse [morositate] they doe unmeasurably wearie them. 1649Jer. Taylor Gt. Exemp. ii. Disc. ix. §33 Some dispositions we have seen..assaulted by peevishnesse through immoderate fasting. 1726Butler Serm. Resentm., That which in a more feeble temper is peevishness, and languidly discharges itself upon everything which comes in its way,..in a temper of greater force and stronger passions, becomes rage and fury. 1857–8Sears Athan. xiv. 122 What we call the moroseness and peevishness of age are none other than the real disposition..coming forth without disguise. 1859Geo. Eliot A. Bede iv, Timid people always wreak their peevishness on the gentle. |