fretful

English

Alternative forms

• fretfull (archaic)

Etymology

fret +‎ -ful

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈfɹɛtfəl/
• Rhymes: -ɛtfəl

Adjective

fretful (comparative more fretful, superlative most fretful)

1. Irritable, bad-tempered, grumpy or peevish.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene v], page 257, column 2:

     I could a Tale vnfold, vvhoſe lighteſt vvord / VVould harrovv vp thy ſoule, freeze thy young blood, / Make thy tvvo eyes like Starres, ſtart from their Spheres, / Thy knotty and combined locks to part, / And each particular haire to ſtand an end, / Like Quilles vpon the fretfull Porpentine: […]

   • 1910 November – 1911 August, Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden, New York, N.Y.: Frederick A[bbott] Stokes Company, published 1911, →OCLC:

     It was another cry, but not quite like the one she had heard last night; it was only a short one, a fretful, childish whine muffled by passing through walls.

2. Unable to relax; fidgety or restless.

Derived terms

• fretfully
• fretfulness
• unfretful

Translations

irritable

• Bulgarian: раздразнителен (bg) (razdraznitelen)
• Dutch: prikkelbaar (nl)
• Finnish: ärtyisä (fi)
• French: irritable (fr)
• German: gereizt (de), schlechtgelaunt, übelgelaunt
• Irish: aingí
• Italian: irritabile (it)
• Russian: раздражи́тельный (ru) (razdražítelʹnyj), ворчли́вый (ru) (vorčlívyj)
• Spanish: irritable (es), gruñón (es)

restless

• Dutch: rusteloos (nl)
• Finnish: ärtynyt (fi), levoton (fi)
• French: agité (fr),fébrile (fr)
• German: ruhelos
• Italian: agitato (it), ansioso (it)
• Russian: неугомо́нный (ru) (neugomónnyj), беспоко́йный (ru) (bespokójnyj)

Anagrams

• truffle