Fretfully

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Fretful \Fret"ful\, a. [See 2d {Fret}.]
     Disposed to fret; ill-humored; peevish; angry; in a state of
     vexation; as, a fretful temper. -- {Fret"ful*ly}, adv. --
     {Fret"ful*ness}, n.
  
     Syn: Peevish; ill-humored; ill-natured; irritable; waspish;


          captious; petulant; splenetic; spleeny; passionate;
          angry.
  
     Usage: {Fretful}, {Peevish}, {Cross}. These words all
            indicate an unamiable working and expression of
            temper. Peevish marks more especially the inward
            spirit: a peevish man is always ready to find fault.
            Fretful points rather to the outward act, and marks a
            complaining impatience: sickly children are apt to be
            fretful. Crossness is peevishness mingled with
            vexation or anger.
            [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  fretfully
       adv : in a fretful manner; "fretfully, the baby tossed in his
             crib"