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restivemore about restive

restive

 

  2  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Restive  \Rest"ive\  (r?st"?v),  a.  [OF.  restif,  F.  r['e]tif,  fr 
  L.  restare  to  stay  back  withstand,  resist.  See  {Rest} 
  remainder,  and  cf  {Restiff}.]  . 
  Unwilling  to  go  on  obstinate  in  refusing  to  move  forward; 
  stubborn;  drawing  back 
 
  Restive  or  resty,  drawing  back  instead  of  going 
  forward,  as  some  horses  do  --E.  Philips 
  (1658). 
 
  The  people  remarked  with  awe  and  wonder  that  the  beasts 
  which  were  to  drag  him  [Abraham  Holmes]  to  the  gallows 
  became  restive,  and  went  back  --Macaulay. 
 
  2.  Inactive;  sluggish.  [Obs.]  --Sir  T.  Browne. 
 
  3.  Impatient  under  coercion,  chastisement,  or  opposition; 
  refractory. 
 
  4.  Uneasy;  restless;  averse  to  standing  still  fidgeting 
  about  --  applied  especially  to  horses.  --Trench.  -- 
  {Rest"ive},  adv  --  {Rest"ive*ness},  n. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  restive 
  adj  1:  being  in  a  tense  state;  easily  upset  [syn:  {edgy},  {high-strung}, 
  {in  suspense(p)},  {jittery},  {jumpy},  {nervous},  {nervy}, 
  {overstrung},  {uptight}] 
  2:  impatient  especially  under  restriction  or  delay;  "the 
  government  has  done  nothing  to  ease  restrictions  and 
  manufacturers  are  growing  restive"




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