Syn: Peevish; ill-humored; ill-natured; irritable; waspish;
captious; petulant; splenetic; spleeny; passionate;
angry.
Usage: {Fretful}, {Peevish}, {Cross}. These words all
indicate an unamiable working and expression of
temper. Peevish marks more especially the inward
spirit: a peevish man is always ready to find fault.
Fretful points rather to the outward act, and marks a
complaining impatience: sickly children are apt to be
fretful. Crossness is peevishness mingled with
vexation or anger.