restive
adjective
- refusing to go forward; balky, as a horse
- hard to control; unruly; refractory
- nervous or impatient under pressure or restraint; restless; unsettled
See restive in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(rĕsˈtĭv)
adjective- Uneasily impatient under restriction, opposition, criticism, or delay.
- Resisting control; difficult to control.
- Refusing to move. Used of a horse or other animal.
Related Forms:
Usage Note: Restive is properly applied to a feeling of impatience or uneasiness induced by external coercion or restriction, and is not a general synonym for
restless: The government has done nothing to ease export restrictions, and domestic manufacturers are growing restive (not
restless).
The atmosphere in the office was congenial, but after five years I began to grow restless (not
restive).
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