restive
pronunciation
How to pronounce restive in British English:
UK [ˈrestɪv]
How to pronounce restive in American English:
US [ˈrɛstɪv]
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- Adjective:
- being in a tense state
- impatient especially under restriction or delay
Word Origin
- restive
- restive: see rest
- restive (adj.)
- early 15c., restyffe "not moving forward," from Middle French restif "motionless, brought to a standstill" (Modern French rétif), from rester "to remain" (see rest (n.2)). Sense of "unmanageable" (1680s) evolved via notion of a horse refusing to go forward.
Example
- 1. No wonder that the migrants are increasingly restive .
- 2. Unprofitable state enterprises argued that closing them would put restive workers on the streets and would deprive the state of essential production .
- 3. Northern electorates are growing restive over the apparently endless bail-outs .
- 4. But mr saleh 's forced departure has given the restive southerners a fillip .
- 5. Maybe so . But his security service is still cracking down on tripoli 's restive suburbs .