Petulancy

1 definition found

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

  Petulance \Pet"u*lance\, Petulancy \Pet"u*lan*cy\, n. [L.
     petulania: cf. F. p['e]tulance. See {Petulant}.]
     The quality or state of being petulant; temporary
     peevishness; pettishness; capricious ill humor. "The
     petulancy of our words." --B. Jonson.
     [1913 Webster]


  
           Like pride in some, and like petulance in others.
                                                    --Clarendon.
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           The lowering eye, the petulance, the frown. --Cowper.
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     Syn: {Petulance}, {Peevishness}. -- Peevishness implies the
          permanence of a sour, fretful temper; petulance implies
          temporary or capricious irritation.
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