Restive

Restive
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. [1913 Webster]

Restive or resty, drawing back, instead of going forward, as some horses do. --E. Philips (1658). [1913 Webster]

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. [1913 Webster]

2. Inactive; sluggish. [Obs.] --Sir T. Browne. [1913 Webster]

3. Impatient under coercion, chastisement, or opposition; refractory. [1913 Webster]

4. Uneasy; restless; averse to standing still; fidgeting about; -- applied especially to horses. --Trench. [1913 Webster] -- {Rest"ive}, adv. -- {Rest"ive*ness}, n. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • 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. [1913 Webster] Restive …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • restive — restive, restless Despite its form, restive is close in meaning to restless, but conveys a stronger implication of disruptive consequences: • It s no surprise, then, when she turns up a little late…, not tardy enough to be really rude but… …   Modern English usage

  • restive — (adj.) early 15c., restyffe not moving forward, from M.Fr. restif (fem. restive) motionless, from rester to remain (see REST (Cf. rest) (n.2)). Sense of unmanageable (1680s) evolved via notion of a horse refusing to go forward …   Etymology dictionary

  • restive — I adjective averse, balking, balky, cantankerous, contumacious, crossgrained, crotchety, deaf to reason, demurring, difficult, discontented, disinclined, disobedient, exceptious, excitable, excited, fidgety, fractious, fretful, grumpy, headstrong …   Law dictionary

  • restive — 1 *contrary, perverse, balky, froward, wayward Analogous words: intractable, *unruly, ungovernable, refractory: *obstinate, stubborn, mulish, stiff necked, pigheaded 2 restless, *impatient, nervous, unquiet, uneasy, fidgety, jumpy, jittery… …   New Dictionary of Synonyms

  • restive — [adj] impatient, nervous agitated, balky, contrary, edgy, fidgety, fractious, fretful, froward, ill at ease, jittery, jumpy, nervy, obstinate, on edge, ornery*, perverse, recalcitrant, refractory, restless, stubborn, tense, uneasy, unruly,… …   New thesaurus

  • restive — ► ADJECTIVE 1) unable to keep still or silent; restless. 2) (of a horse) stubbornly standing still or moving backwards or sideways. DERIVATIVES restively adverb restiveness noun. ORIGIN Old French, from Latin restare remain …   English terms dictionary

  • restive — [res′tiv] adj. [ME restyfe < OFr restif < rester: see REST2] 1. refusing to go forward; balky, as a horse 2. hard to control; unruly; refractory 3. nervous or impatient under pressure or restraint; restless; unsettled SYN. CONTRARY… …   English World dictionary

  • restive — [[t]re̱stɪv[/t]] ADJ GRADED If you are restive, you are impatient, bored, or dissatisfied. [FORMAL] The audience grew restive. ...restive national minorities. Derived words: restiveness N UNCOUNT There were signs of restiveness among the younger… …   English dictionary

  • restive — adjective a) Impatient under delay, duress, or control. The horses were now more restive than ever, and Johann was trying to hold them in. b) Resistant of control; stubborn. Yet I am of opinion, this defect arises chiefly from a perverse, restive …   Wiktionary

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