RESTIVE

Pronunciation (US):

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 Dictionary entry overview: What does restive mean? 

• RESTIVE (adjective)
  The adjective RESTIVE has 2 senses:

1. being in a tense state

2. impatient especially under restriction or delay

  Familiarity information: RESTIVE used as an adjective is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• RESTIVE (adjective)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Being in a tense state

Synonyms:

edgy; high-strung; highly strung; jittery; jumpy; nervy; overstrung; restive; uptight

Similar:

tense (in or of a state of physical or nervous tension)

Derivation:

restiveness (characterized by nervousness and quickness to take fright)

restiveness (the anxious feeling you have when you have the jitters)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Impatient especially under restriction or delay

Context example:

the government has done nothing to ease restrictions and manufacturers are growing restive

Similar:

impatient (restless or short-tempered under delay or opposition)

 Context examples 

He was by nature powerful of thought and sensibility, and the creative spirit was restive and urgent.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

She became restive, insisted upon her rights, and finally announced her positive intention of going to a certain ball.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Yet I am of opinion, this defect arises chiefly from a perverse, restive disposition; for they are cunning, malicious, treacherous, and revengeful.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

One of the members for the affirmative offered several arguments of great strength and weight, alleging, that as the Yahoos were the most filthy, noisome, and deformed animals which nature ever produced, so they were the most restive and indocible, mischievous and malicious; they would privately suck the teats of the Houyhnhnms’ cows, kill and devour their cats, trample down their oats and grass, if they were not continually watched, and commit a thousand other extravagancies.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)