peevishlyadv.

?1529 R. Hyrde tr. J. L. Vives Instr. Christen Woman i. xiv. sig. R.ij As if he hath eyther done or sayd ought pyuysshely.

a1592 R. Greene Mamillia (1593) ii. sig. H An iniurious Gentleman..who with despightfull taunts hath abused the Gentlewomen of Sicillia, most peeuishlie describing their apparell, and presumptuouslie decyphering their nature.

a1638 J. Mede Wks. (1672) 1 If they should unwisely disvalue and peevishly reject the whole for some passages not agreeing to their particular Sentiments.

a1680 Earl of Rochester Song iv, in Poems (1790) 17 Then if, to make your ruin more, You'll peevishly be coy.

1732 G. Farquhar Recruiting Officer iii. 34 Madam, you talk as peevishly to me, as if it were my Fault.

1763 H. Walpole Vertue's Anecd. Painting III. iv. 112 Ratcliffe replied peevishly, ‘Tell him he may do any thing with it but paint it.’

1832 H. Martineau Ireland iii. 46 Peevishly complaining of manifold evils that it was impossible to remedy.

1883 R. Broughton Belinda II. ii. iv. 43 ‘How tiresomely she harps upon that string!’ cries Mrs. Churchill peevishly.

1937 ‘C. Brahms’ & ‘S. J. Simon’ Bullet in Ballet xvii. 261 ‘They do not print my picture,’ he said peevishly.

2002 Guardian (Nexis) 23 Feb. 16 The more resistance he encountered, the more peevishly he strove to prevail.