词源不详，可能来自perverse受-ish影响的俗化形式，词义由“任性的，无理取闹的”引申为生气的，易怒的等。

1. She glared down at me with a peevish expression on her face.

她低头瞪着我，一脸怒气。

2. A peevish child is unhappy and makes others unhappy.

一个脾气暴躁的孩子自己不高兴也使别人不高兴.

3. Aubrey had slept little and that always made him peevish.

奥布里睡眠不足，这让他总是易怒。

4. She reported him to be an ailing, peevish creature.

她报告说他是一个多病的任性的东西.

5. They were opionative, peevish, covetous, porase, vain, talkative.

他们固执 、 暴躁 、 贪婪 、 乖僻 、 虚荣, 多嘴.