restive


Also found in: Thesaurus.

restive

nervous, unquiet; recalcitrant, disobedient, obstinate, balky: a restive horse
Not to be confused with:
restless – agitated, fretful, without rest: restless night
Abused, Confused, & Misused Words by Mary Embree Copyright © 2007, 2013 by Mary Embree

res·tive

 (rĕs′tĭv)
adj.
1.
a. Uneasily impatient or hard to control under restriction, opposition, criticism, or delay: Passengers on board the delayed airliner began to grow restive.
b. Characterized by impatience or an absence of calm; unsettled: had a restive feeling that something wasn't quite right.
2. Refusing to move. Used of a horse or other animal.

[Middle English restif, stationary, from Old French, from rester, to remain, from Latin restāre, to keep back : re-, re- + stāre, to stand; see stā- in Indo-European roots.]

res′tive·ly adv.
res′tive·ness n.
American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

restive

(ˈrɛstɪv)
adj
1. restless, nervous, or uneasy
2. impatient of control or authority
[C16: from Old French restif balky, from rester to remain]
ˈrestively adv
ˈrestiveness n
Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged, 12th Edition 2014 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014

res•tive

(ˈrɛs tɪv)

adj.
1. impatient of control, restraint, or delay, as persons; restless; uneasy.
2. obstinately uncooperative; stubborn; balky.
[1375–1425; late Middle English restif stationary, balking < Old French: inert; see rest2, -ive]
res′tive•ly, adv.
res′tive•ness, n.
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

restive

, restless - Restive means impatient or fidgety under pressure or restraint; restless is being uneasy, unquiet, or unable to relax or rest.
See also related terms for relax.
Farlex Trivia Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Adj.1.restive - being in a tense staterestive - being in a tense state    
tense - in or of a state of physical or nervous tension
2.restive - impatient especially under restriction or delay; "the government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive"
impatient - restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition; "impatient with the slower students"; "impatient of criticism"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

restive

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

restive

adjective
Feeling or exhibiting nervous tension:
Slang: uptight.
Idioms: a bundle of nerves, all wound up, on edge.
The American Heritage® Roget's Thesaurus. Copyright © 2013, 2014 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
Translations
مُتَمَلْمِل، غَيْر مُرْتاح
netrpělivý
rastløsutilfreds
eirîarlaus
neramus
nemierīgsnepacietīgs
sabırsıztez canlı

restive

[ˈrestɪv] ADJ [person, audience, voters] → inquieto; [horse] → nervioso, inquieto
to get restive [person] → impacientarse; [horse] → ponerse nervioso or inquieto
Collins Spanish Dictionary - Complete and Unabridged 8th Edition 2005 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1971, 1988 © HarperCollins Publishers 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2005

restive

[ˈrɛstɪv] adj [person] → rétif/ive; [horse] → rétif/ive
Collins English/French Electronic Resource. © HarperCollins Publishers 2005

restive

adj
horse (= stubborn)störrisch; (= nervous)unruhig
(= restless) person, mannerrastlos; tribeswiderspenstig, aufsässig
Collins German Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged 7th Edition 2005. © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1980 © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2005, 2007

restive

[ˈrɛstɪv] adj (person) → irrequieto/a, nervoso/a, agitato/a; (horse) → restio/a
Collins Italian Dictionary 1st Edition © HarperCollins Publishers 1995

restive

(ˈrestiv) adjective
beginning to show displeasure, impatience, boredom etc eg at delay, discipline etc; restless.
ˈrestively adverb
ˈrestiveness noun
Kernerman English Multilingual Dictionary © 2006-2013 K Dictionaries Ltd.
References in classic literature ?
Such remarks made Anne restive. Roy's wooing had certainly been as romantic as girlish heart could desire, but -- she wished Aunt Jamesina and the girls would not take things so for granted.
Driving was out of the question, because one of the horses was restive, and bolted in the shafts.
Since then I have seen many horses much alarmed and restive at the sight or sound of a steam engine; but thanks to my good master's care, I am as fearless at railway stations as in my own stable.
Yet I am of opinion, this defect arises chiefly from a perverse, restive disposition; for they are cunning, malicious, treacherous, and revengeful.
The other swore at his restive horse, and then cleared his throat.
As often happens, the horses of a convoy wagon became restive at the end of the bridge, and the whole crowd had to wait.
He was restive all through it; he kept tally of the details of the prayer, unconsciously -- for he was not listening, but he knew the ground of old, and the clergyman's regular route over it -- and when a little trifle of new matter was in- terlarded, his ear detected it and his whole nature re- sented it; he considered additions unfair, and scoun- drelly.
One morning when the rain streamed down unceasingly and Colin was beginning to feel a little restive, as he was obliged to remain on his sofa because it was not safe to get up and walk about, Mary had an inspiration.
Once or twice Jack seemed disposed to turn restive, but a vigorous and determined application of the whip from the ruthless hand of his master soon compelled him to submission, and Edward's dilated nostril expressed his triumph in the result of the contest; he scarcely spoke to me during the whole of the brief drive, only opening his lips at intervals to damn his horse.
This afternoon she was peculiarly restive. She would really like to do something of which her well-wishers disapproved.
"The thing has been seriously proposed," replied the doctor, "but I think it hardly practicable with creatures naturally so restive."
It was in the full of the moon that she was most restive, but I brought her back, and at first she could have bit my hand, but then she came willingly.