Definitions for: Restive


[adj] impatient especially under restriction or delay; "the government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive"
[adj] being in a tense state



Webster (1913) Definition: 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.

Synonyms: edgy, highly strung, high-strung, impatient, in suspense(p), jittery, jumpy, nervy, overstrung, tense, uptight

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